Low of Solipsism
by sniffits
Summary: Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol...summary continued inside E/Sy Yaoi
1. Games

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

This was an idea my roommate and I came up with after I regaled her with tales of my old forum RP horrors. I told that one of the best RP's I ever read there was one where Syaoran went to England to train. It was short and sweet (no longer than three pages) but it was amazingly done and posts were beautiful. I told her I was sad that hardly anyone tackled that concept or at least went through with it all the way. So, the next day, we began our RP. I played Eriol and she played Syaoran.

Now, before you run away, this is not in RP format. I've cleaned it up, formatted it and made it look like fanfiction, but with RP come certain pluses and minuses. Compelling dialogue is one of the minuses, and so, in later chapters I will be amending certain sections to make them more readable. I have kept most of her writing in tact so if the style's differ, then you know why.

**Points of interest:**

Rated 'M' for a reason. Sexy stuff to come, also, cursing, violence, bloodshed and many other things children shouldn't be looking at. One more thing, please don't complain about Syaoran's cursing. Try rewatching the anime with a bottle of Jack Daniel's and take a shot every time he yells 'damn', 'dammit' or 'shit' and you'll be plastered by episode 20. Besides, we're all mature adults here. If you can handle Yaoi, you can handle a little God Damn cursing, right?

_thoughts_

"speaking"

scene change

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

Yay! I took up half a page with technical crap! How awesome am I? dances

**Prologue**

Yelan Li sat, legs crossed on a silk ottoman awaiting the arrival of the one she had called. Her son, the youngest of five children and the heir of the clan was late, most likely due to drifting thoughts. He had been a studious child, but the Clow Mistress had changed him in that respect. He had become more slipshod. Not so bad, but more like an actual child might. While Yelan was happy that her son was acting more like regular people his age, she would prefer to keep that fact a secret. In truth, she had called him, not to scold him, but to inform him that he needed more training. He wasn't as strong as he could be, and this needed to be remedied.  
  
She took a sip of the bitter green tea in front of her, swallowing the bitter flavor as the scent cleared her thoughts. "He's taking too long, Wei. Would you fetch him for me." She added an slight impatient edge to her tone. "He's most likely training. I can't think of anything else that would distract him from his duties..." _Except maybe Sakura-san._

Wei nodded, bowing deeply before exiting the tea room.

"E-Eh. No Sakura, I'm not going to be back to Japan for some time. My sisters are telling me something about a vacation and Wei is saying something about duties so I don't know what's going on." Aforementioned brunette was sitting cross-legged on his bed, cordless caught between his shoulder and head whilst he polished his sword meticulously. He glanced over to his clock and in an instant was cursing. "Oh God, I'm late! She's gonna kill me!" After pulling himself off the floor he scrambled onto the bed and picked up the phone he'd dropped. "Sorry Sakura I have to go, my mother was expecting me downstairs almost an hour ago. I'll talk to you later, bye!" With that, he hung up and tossed the cordless on the mattress next to his half-polished blade and bolted out of his room, passing Wei as the elder male came up to get him. There was the sound of him skidding to a halt in front of her tea room, hands resting on his knees as he hunched over and panted. Once he composed himself he entered, bowing deeply. "I'm sorry I'm late mother there was something you needed to discuss with me?" He questioned in a respectful tone whilst inside he was screaming: _What the hell does she want to do to me__ now__!?_

Yelan did not look up from her tea, allowing the silence to grow until it became uncomfortable. "Why are you late? What were you doing?" Another sip to stretch to moment. "Take a seat, please. We have much to discuss." She poured a small amount of the green tea in another cup and offered it. _I wonder how he'll take my idea. He never did care much for Eriol. This could be interesting._ "The tea is fresh and still hot." She allowed her gaze to fall on her son's face, piercing him with her eyes.

He felt his eye twitch but quelled it as he nodded hastily and took a seat before the tall refined woman, taking her up on the tea she offered. His thoughts lingered on why he was brought in, but thought it best to answer her unless he wanted to deal with her wrath. "I was speaking with Sakura and polishing my blade. I didn't mean to lose track of the time. Now, mother, what is it you wanted to tell me? You only call me in here when there is something important." He questioned with a serious expression.

She held back a smile. "Sakura-san. Such a sweet girl, and powerful in magic. I suppose we have Clow to thank for that. But, you have Clow's blood, which is why I am now taking it upon myself to bring you to your full potential. After all," She took another sip. "You can't expect to protect anyone at the level your at now. You need advanced training. You may not have the cards, but you have your bloodline and that is enough."

"A-Ah, yes. She is, and I'll do everything in my power to protect her." He replied though he felt the heat rise to his face at the blatant mention of his lack in skill and power for one of Clow's descendents. With a heave he shook his head and took a sip of the tea, grumbling under his breath.

She paused, letting the moment stand, before considering her next move. _I'll have to be gentle with this._ "Seeing as you're a descendant of Clow, I thought perhaps you should have your training under Eriol." The statement came fast as she braced for her son's response. Even if he respected her, he would not take the idea sitting down.

It took a moment for the initial statement hit, but when it did, the floodgates opened whide. "Excuse me?!" He was on his feet glaring at his mother with both hands balled into fists. "I refuse to train under that lecherous old man!" He growled out before realizing who he was yelling at and gulped, hastily sitting back down staring at his hands on his lap.

Yelan widened her eyes at the shouted statement, again forcing a smile away. "Lecherous? Eriol-sama is a wise and powerful mage that could greatly help you with your magic." She placed the cup onto the table in front of her before continuing. "Besides, as they say, I am your mother and you will do as you're told. You know as much as I do that your power needs to grow. He is the best teacher, and has already agreed to house you in England while you study." She allowed her eyes to form a sharp gaze that once again pinned her son to his seat.

The young warrior grumbled and growled, attempting not to get up and shout at her again for fear of being smacked senseless. "England!? I don't _want_ to go to England! I would rather go back to Japan." He exclaimed, giving his mother a pleading look. "Can't he come _here_ and train me under your watchful eye?" Again it was a plea made in vain as he England was the **last** place he wanted to be, especially with **Eriol **of all people.

"No." Her tone was decisive and final as her reply cut the air. "You are to pack your things and go to England immediately, understood? I don't want any more arguments. Eriol-sama is as good a teacher as any and I will not let any petty grudges get in the way of your family duty." She ignored his pleading eyes as they appealed to her motherly nature. "Now, I don't want to hear any more on the subject. You leave tomorrow morning for the airport, understood?" The tea's aroma continued to fill the air.

"But…" He paused before sighing. "Yes ma'am." He hung his head in defeat and rose, bowing before taking his leave to go pack his things.

"Why...Of all places...and of all **people**." He snarled as he folded his clothes and stuck them in his duffel bag. Along with his sword and talismans he also packed the Rashinban, 'a habit I suppose', and his Shiki-fuku, though he was sure Eriol would have robes available there for him to use. "I don't want to go, I don't want to go, I don't want to go..." And yet as he was getting ready for bed he dreaded the morning that would come and the intolerable male he'd have to spend gods and ancestors only know how long with in a country he knew nothing about. "Damn…just…damn."

Still in the tea room, Yelan Li contemplated her decision. "Do you think I was a bit harsh, Wei? I know he doesn't get along with Eriol-sama, but..." She lowered her eyes in thought. _This is how it has to be._

"I know you're doing what you think is right, Li-dama." Wei bowed, taking the cooling tea and discarded cups with him as he left.

"Yes, but, what of tomorrow? What will it bring with it?" She stood up, approaching an inconspicuous mirror. "What of that, Clow?"

Eriol smiled from the other side. "He's stubborn and strong willed, but you were right in trusting him to me." Despite sounding polite, the chesire smile leaked through, presenting itself.

"I trust you'll take good care of him and actually teach him what he needs to know?" Her eye brow dipped. "I'm not sending him there for a play date."

A rich laugh filled the room. "Of course not, Li-san. See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow..." Yelan folded her hands together. "This should be interesting."

**Chapter 1 - Games**

"I don't. Want. To. **GO**!" The statement was heard ringing throughout the mansion as he was being dragged down the stairs by one of the youngest of his older sisters. "Let me go Feimei! I'm not going! If _you_ like him so much why don't _you_ go!?"

"Oh don't be such a baby, Syaoran. This is a golden opportunity and Hiiragizawa-sama is so sweet and intelligent! You'll learn a lot from him!" The smaller form struggled as he was shoved out the door and to the limousine waiting for him.

"That's bullshit. He's a perverted old man. Enough said. He doesn't want to _train_ me he wants to _molest_ me!" The girl giggled as she folded her arms in the window and smiled. "Stop laughing! He's a pervert and you know it!"

"I don't see any problem with that."

"Of course _you_ don't." He growled.

Another laugh was given as she stepped away and waved. "Alright Wei he's all yours! Have fun, baby brother!" She called as he whined and slumped in his seat, wishing he was anywhere but there at the moment. _Wish I wasn't __related__ to the bastard is more like it._

"Where is Syaoran, now?" Eriol's visage was once again searching through the mirror in Yelan Li's tea room. "I need to know when to send my guardians."

Yelan had the mirror propped on a table so she could communicate sitting down. "He is on his way to the airport. He'll arrive in thirteen or so hours, tired and bitter from the long flight, no doubt." She added the last bit more to herself than anyone else.

"I see." His deep voice echoed. "Well, the room I've made up is to his liking, I hope. The bed is big and the colors match his tastes."

"I'll remind you again, Clow-sama. This isn't a play date. I want you to train my son to become a strong warrior like his father."

"Of course, Li-san. But please, don't call me Clow." A tall feminine creature pressed her face next to Eriol's

"Who're you talking to? Is that Syaoran-kun's mother!? Nihou!" Nakuru waved frantically. "When's he getting here?"

Yelan allowed a small smirk through for the first time in days. "In thirteen hours." _Looks like his patience will be tested as well. Hopefully this experience will make him a more well-rounded person._

As predicted the young Syaoran was_ very _tired and _very_ bitter. All he wanted to do was sleep. That was attempted the first few hours of the flight, but he was unfortunate enough to end up next to some Scotsman who was coming back from a vacation to China. The man talked his ear off in an accent so thick that it took all his brain power not to focus on the muddled statements. Finally, he was able to get quiet at least after the European fell asleep, but the rough flight left him wide awake. Now that jetlag was setting in he just wanted to do nothing more than collapse on a bed and sleep for a day or two. "Augh...I hate flying...I feel so sluggish and my internal clock is so thrown out of whack..." He paused as he stood at the gate watching and listening to the people around him, a member of the flight crew asking him if he needed help. "Ah..well...I don't..." He stared at the poor woman like she'd grown a second head. 'I don't understand English!' His mind screamed as he tried to explain to her he didn't understand, in turn causing her to stare as _she_ tried to tell him that she didn't understand Chinese _or_ Japanese. "...This is going to be a looooong day..." he whined and trudged along carrying his dufflebag, his rolling one being pulled behind him.

"Syaoooooooooooraaaaaan! Nihouuuuuuuuuuu!" Nakuru bounded through the airport shouting a mixture of Japanese and Chinese and causing people to stare at her, bewildered. Spinel was tucked in her collar and remained still so as to not call attention to the two. "Syao-chan! Over here!" She waved at the brunette as he pulled his luggage along. "We need to get the rest of your luggage at baggage claim, Syao-chan!"

Spinel twitched slightly. "Just tell him when you get close. No need to shout."

He felt an eyebrow twitch in irritation. _Gods, that __**thing**__..._ Now he _really_ wished he wasn't there as he was getting just as many stares from the bystanders as Nakuru was simply for being the one she was calling to.

The gender-confused guardian skidded to a stop in front of the Chinese boy, gripping him in a tight hug. "You've grown so much. You've gone from adorable shota to molestable jailbait!" Her grip on him tightened. "Eriol-sinsaang will be so happy to see you!"

"Ack, let me go dammit...And what the hell do you mean jailbait!?" He snapped as he fought his way out of her grasp and straightened his attire, picking up where he left off as he was making his way to the baggage claim with she showed up.

Nakuru titled her head to the side. "Well, in England, age of consent is 16 in some areas, 18 in others…" She placed a finger to her lips in though. "Or was that America? Anyway, you're only 15 so you're definitely still jailbait."

"...That wasn't…what I meant." He sighed before spotting the other guardian, nestled in Nakuru's shirt. "Spinel, I'm surprised you're here too. Where's that perverted old man at...I thought he would be here too?" He asked, amber orbs narrowing as he looked around cautiously.

Spinel squirmed his way to the front of the other guardian's garment. "If by perverted old man you mean our master, then no. He is back at the manor, awaiting your arrival." Nakuru pushed her forefinger against Syaoran's forehead.

"Once we get back you'll need your rest, despite it being in the middle of the day, hee hee." She skipped toward the conveyor belt and began checking tags for the brunette's name. "Anou, Syao-chan? I forgot how your name looks in Chinese!"

Spinel sighed. "Use your power to sense his aura, you dolt." He then ducked into her shirt as a woman nearby glanced up to see the source of the voice.

"Oh right!" Nakuru giggled before resuming her task. "There's one, and another and another..." She began pulling up pieces. "How much did you bring?!"

"Tch. I brought enough. I have no idea how long I'm going to be stuck here... " He grabbed an empty baggage cart and loaded his things onto it, there being about six altogether with his carry-on and rolling suitcase. "Your master," he almost spat out the beginning bit. "…never told me the length of time I'd be here, and, unless he told you, then you're going to have to deal with it. Now let's go, I'm tired as all hell and want to go to bed." Those were his final words prior to the group taking their leave to the car that Eriol had provided them.

"Eh? Eriol never specified to us either." Nakuru answered as they all got into the vehicle. "I'm assuming it's 'until your ready to leave'." She pondered for a moment before letting Spinel out of her shirt.

"...Ready to leave. That would be now." the brunette muttered under his breath as he rested an arm on the window, his lower face being buried in it as the wind blew his bangs. His expression could only be described as 'filled with contempt'.

"Anyway, seeing as how you're in such a good mood, let's hope Eriol's spells will get us there quickly." Spinel floated over to the icebox in the car and removed a can of fruit juice. "Our manor is large enough that you won't have to deal with Nakuru all of the time."

"Hey!" Nakuru kicked her leg in the air aiming for Spinel's head. "I'm not that bad."

Spinel dodged the kick before sighing. "Eriol-sama, please make the car go faster."

The ride was not too long, as the spells allowed the car to travel through buildings without being noticed, so in cutting down traffic. It only took ten minutes before it finally came to a stop in front of a brick and wood paneled manor.

"Eriol-sinsaang will be so happy!" Nakuru squealed as she skipped to the front of the mansion.

"Leave your baggage here, Li-san. Our master will take care of it." Spinel instructed before huffing angrily and following after his other half.

Syaoran begrudgingly got out and made his way to the front door, being as alert as he physically and mentally could in case the 'master of the house' decided to make his appearance. It was rather difficult, however, when he was so tired. "So where's my room? I want to go to bed." he demanded in an irate tone.

"Your room is in the west wing, upstairs, second door on the left." A new, deeper voice echoed as the front door to the manor was opened. "I hope you'll find it comfortable, Syaoran-kun. I wouldn't want such an esteemed guest to find anything wrong during his stay." He stood, in slacks and a blue pullover, looking as groomed as ever. His outstretched arm directed the brunette to the proper direction. He opened his eyes, letting his gaze travel as a smile forced its way to his face. "My, my, how you've grown, Syaoran-kun. It's been far too long. And don't worry, your training won't begin until tomorrow after breakfast."

The moment the young warrior heard the voice he went rigid as he made a choking sound in the back of his throat. After regaining his composure, he lofted a brow, twitching as he let his gaze meet that of his ancestor. Without words, he stalked up the stairs, staying as far away from the blue-haired teen as he could, almost having to cling to the wall to do so. "...Thanks." it was the only reply he gave, sighing heavily as he made it to the safety of his room.

"Well...he's a rather pleasant and considerate guest, isn't he Eriol? Honestly, what do you see in such a stuck-up snot nosed know-it-all little brat. He obviously can't _stand_ your presence. So why are you so infatuated with him? There are plenty of other, sweeter fish in the sea..." Spinel heaved as he floated over to a small shelf and propped himself there, staring lazily at his creator.

Eriol's smile never faded as the boy left the room. "Oh, Spinel. It would seem you know little of human interaction. If I were to pursue a mate that agreed with me, then I wouldn't have any opportunity to play games on said mate, now would I?"

Spinel tilted his head. "Are you telling me, master, that you enjoy his rude behavior?"

"In a way, yes." He sat down in a large chair, facing the main fireplace. "After all, love is boring when it's predictable."

Spinel sighed. "I'll never understand humans, least of all you, master. But, how do you expect 

to keep him here when he gets wind of your plans?"

Eriol chuckled. "As part of his training I have made the house react to his emotion and feelings. I want him to control them better, or at least understand them. As a consequence, anytime he wants to leave the manor will become an impossible labyrinth and will grow until he no longer feels a desire to leave."

"And what if he feels that desire while outside?"

"Impossible." The mage stared into the crackling flames. "The house will not let him leave as long as there is even a remote possibility that he will run away."

As soon as Syaoran made it to the bed he threw himself on it and dozed off. It felt like an eternity before his eyes fluttered open and he groaned. "Man, how long was I out?" He lifted his head to look at a clock on his nightstand. "I shouldn't have asked." He muttered before deciding to wander the building, hoping to get a feel of his surroundings. "Hmn...This place is big, but it's not that big..." He mumbled as he sneaked down the hallway, looking for all of the ways out while at the same time places he could potentially hide from his new 'teacher'. "There's no way in hell I'm staying here to be his little toy...Soon as the chance arises I'm gone."

Eriol watched the boy wander from the all-seeing portal in his master room floor. "Oh, Syaoran-kun, you make this too easy, but, now would be as good a time as ever to begin your training. Seeing as how you're so eager." He began moving his arms, directing his fingers and wrists in a methodical manner and a slow, steady stream of magic flew from him. "I suppose we should start with your biggest weakness."

"Syaoran-kun..." Sakura's sweet voice echoed through the halls. "Syaoran-kun." Eriol moved his arms in a swift motion and soon the Clow mistress stood before the Chinese boy, wearing her trademark smile.

The warrior heaved, finding no end in sight to the mansion when the sound of the voice instantly caught his attention. "Sakura?" he blinked a few times, tilting his head in wonder as he knew she was in Japan, and yet there she was. Could Eriol have invited her without his knowing? 'Yeah right...' He stopped a little ways away from her and stared, his expression going blank. "...What are you doing here Sakura." he asked in a rather skeptical tone, he form becoming more alert than before._ What's the old man up to._

She giggled, her expression remaining the same. "Eriol asked me to come help you with your training." Sakura placed a finger to lips in thought. "Something about...you need to control emotions...I don't know. Eriol can be so confusing."

"Ah...I see. I figured as much if you're here, then it must have something to do with this...'training' he's talking about. I honestly don't believe him."

The Clow mistress put her hand behind her taking a few small steps forward. "I miss you, Syaoran-kun. You never come to Tomoeda, any more. Not even to...Tokyo."

He blinked, a little surprised at the sudden change in topic "I miss you too...I'm sorry I haven't been visiting, but I have obligations and duties to uphold within my family. I promise once those are fulfilled I'll come back."

She ignored him and instead wrapped him a warm embrace. "We all miss you so much, especially me. That's why I wanted to come here." She glanced up, a small blush on her cheeks. "I-I-I'm not...I'm not a little girl anymore." She almost whispered it. "I'm not as innocent as I used to be." Sakura's eyes closed as she leaned in, pressing her smaller body against the boy's.

"Eh? S-Sakura..." Her last comment made him flush, his arms having awkwardly slipped around her waist as he gaped at her, unsure of what exactly he should do. "N-Now isn't really the time to be talking about something like...l-like this...Who knows what that lecherous old mage is up to...he's probably watching us right now..." He commented and pulled away, taking her by the hand. "I think what we need to do is find a way out of here. This place gives me the creeps...And I have a feeling you're in danger if you stay here..." He murmured and started walking once more, the grip he had on her hand not letting up.

"S-Syaoran-kun." She nodded, although a glum look replaced her happy one. "I understand. If you really think I'm in danger then maybe we _should _find a way out. As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy." She reached for his wrist rubbing it lightly. "But, could you...I mean...we haven't seen each other in so long...could we, uhm." Sakura nervously pawed the floor with her foot. "Couldn't we kiss a little...since it's been so long, you see?" She looked as though she was about to burst from embarrassment. "Hoe, that sound weird no matter how I say it..." She leaned in again. "Just once, please don't make me ask again."

"Huh?" _Really...Even __she__ should understand that her safety is a little more important than that right now. It's not like we'd never see each other and again and there'd be plenty of time for that __after__ we're out of this mess. Why is she being so...I don't know...Almost selfish. _ He pondered, though it was hard for him to think something of the ever clueless and somewhat air-headed magical girl. There was a pause in his steps albeit the uneasiness that something was out of place still settled in his stomach. "Sakura...I...Hnn...I suppose just one. We can't waste time here, who knows what traps are hidden in this place." he uttered as he turned to her and tilted her chin up, blushing lightly as he leaned in and kissed her gently.

Sakura smiled as their lips touch. "Fool. And this is where you die."

"Sakura...?" The boy barely had time to react at all as a knife formed in her hand before she plunged it into his neck. He let out a cry of pain and confusion as he watched her face warped into that of a demon, unrecognizable to anyone who knew the Clow mistress personally. As her laughter faded so did her visage until all signs of her presence were gone, including the 'knife wound' she had inflicted.

"An illusion." Eriol had now materialized beside the brunette. "Had you been more powerful you would have known immediately that she wasn't real. You allowed your feelings to cloud your judgment. Even if you had not kissed her, she would have killed you at a moment she felt right. You trust too easily, Syaoran-kun." The chesire smile once again presented itself. "And if this had been real, had that been a real enemy, you would have died."

The shorter teen jumped upon hearing Eriol's voice and spun around to glare at him. "You bastard!" He pulled out his sword and pointed it at the magician, looking a little more than pissed. "Don't smile at me like that! I know you're planning something and it's going to piss me off. I can't wait to smack that stupid fucking smile off that cocky face of yours. You'll get what's coming to you old man, I promise! Now how the hell do I get out of here!?"

Eriol chuckled. "The way to get out, Syaoran, is win the game."

"Tch. I'm not here to play your stupid games, Clow!" he snarled and clenched his fist.

The mage placed a finger on the sharp tip of the sword, pressing down on it. "I hope you don't plan to slice me with that thing. That wouldn't do at all. How are you supposed to learn with a slain teacher?"

"I wasn't, but it sure as hell would make me feel better."

Eriol turned to face the hallway, breathing in deeply. "The way out is through the understanding of your own heart. That is something you have not yet mastered. You may hate me now, but in time you'll come to understand my methods."

Syaoran felt more than a little confused as the answer to his question. "What in the Hell do you mean by that?"

Eriol ignored the curses, and instead leaned forward, gripping the sword around the blade, although it did not cut into him, and wrenched it to the side. "And when you do come to understand me..." He reached out and held the young warrior's chin in his hand. "You'll thank me, Syaoran...kun..." He slowly faded, replaced by wisps of smoke that wafted throughout the hallway.

Syaoran felt a blush creep up to his cheeks, but promptly pushed it down. With a snort he rubbed where Eriol had held him and huffed as he continued venturing deeper into the labyrinth. "I will hate you no matter what the outcome you lecher! Nothing's going to change my mind!" he added as an afterthought, now being more cautious than he had at first, not trusting anything that was owned by his ancestor.

**Ending Note: **And so, the games begin. If you're reading this for smut then…aww…I was hoping you'd like the plot too D:

As for all the patient hentai bunnies, smut shows up in chapter 5, but I want this to be a plot driven story with sexy being the desert rather than the main course. I hope you find it compelling or at least enjoyable. Feel free to leave a critique or point out any spelling, name or other stupid errors I might have made. I make quite a few.

**Final notes:** Solipsism is the philosophical idea that "My mind is the only thing that I know exists." _Low of Solipsism_ is a kick ass Muse song.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits


	2. Labyrinth

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

My roommate and I are getting more into the swing of RPing these two. Things should get more interesting from here on out. School _is_ starting soon (next week) so updates will probably slow down. Or not. I have a twelve hour day two days a week. Hmm…perhaps RP will not slow down. Well, if things do slow down it's because I'm lazy and/or have more important things to do than write fanfiction. If I get enough shouting I should pop back in to finish.

**Points of interest:**

Lat time I wrote 'Scene Change' at the bottom. It was because I originally used three asterisks to signal that, but this website doesn't seem to like them. No scene changes then. Sorry D:

_thoughts_

"speaking"

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

Yay! I took up half a page with technical crap! How awesome am I? -dances-

**Chapter 2 - Labyrinth**

"How much longer am I going to be wandering around here...I'm so **sick** of this game!!" Syaoran continued to vent as he ventured further into the giant maze, wishing for freedom that he knew he wasn't going to gain so long as Eriol was in control. Meandering in one place for too long was not wise in his opinion so he made sure not to stop for anything he found suspicious. "What the hell do you have up your sleeve old man. Tell me!" he shouted in frustration.

Eriol watched Syaoran in amusement, taking sips of Earl Grey every so often. "He has so much to learn." Another flick of his wrist and soon smoke was billowing throughout the hallways, forming shapes of many things, some out of place and others not. "The halls are about to become more dangerous, with many more traps than before." One particular ball of smoke wisped next to the young warrior and formed what looked like the mage's head. "Syaoran-kun, how do you expect to escape if you keep running around in circles without trying to understand your foe? Is that all we're going to do tonight?" He disappeared only to have his face reappear several feet in front of the boy, while keeping pace with his sprint. "Perhaps, if you don't mind never escaping, that is okay." With that, his face evaporated, leaving only his glasses, floating in a strange manner before they too disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

The brunette gritted his teeth, wanting to swat away the form before it disappeared. "Shut up. I didn't _ask _for this. I didn't _want_ to be here...I didn't _want_ to come to England. This is all something you and my mother planned. I wanted no part in it, but you nobody gave me a choice in the matter. It's only what _you_ fucking want. You're so selfish..." He mumbled, though is statement was more out of spite than truth. He finally slowed to a halt and looked around, amber orbs scanning the area carefully. "...I guess my only option is to start trying those doors." Turning to one of those said doors, he approached it cautiously, tilting his head as his free hand reached for the knob, turning it slowly. It creaked as it opened, he peeking inside only to find another hall and heaved. "Great..."

"Finally, it would seem the subject has decided to start exploring. But, he's going awfully slow." Eriol, took yet another sip of the tea, savoring the taste.

"I'm quite surprised, master." Spinel sat on the arm of the cushioned chair, watching the scene unfold. "I didn't think you were actually going to train him like you promised."

"You don't trust me, Suppi?"

Spinel, felt his ears twitch at the sound of his pet name. "It's not...that. So, what now?" he was once again interested by the scene in front of him.

"Perhaps I am being a bit vague in my instruction for the time being, seeing as he's so new to this. I suppose I could give him a push in the right direction."

"What are you going to do?" Spinel wagged his tail back and forth slowly, his cat eyes never leaving the portal in the floor.

"Anytime he has a slight change in mood, the room he's in will change accordingly, until he figures out the trap."

Spinel sighed. "How long are we going to be here?"

The mage put a hand to his chin. "It could be days or even weeks. Who knows? Fortunately, my magic will keep everything suspended so food and sleep are not needed."

"What the..." he blinked a few times, seeing the walls start to turn, the wallpaper slowly peeling with each step he took. "What's going on? Gaaah!!" Another shout echoed down the passageway, rusting the walls and slowly turning everything in to metal gates or fences. He grabbed at his hair, resisting all urges to pull it out in frustration. As time passed, Syaoran felt slightly disturbed by the sudden change of scenery. It got to the point where he started to run, stumbling from time to time as the floor had grown unstable. Eventually he slowed to a stop, panting hard. "...Okay, okay. I give!" was his whine in defeat as he slumped trying to catch his breath. As he regained is stamina the walls started to turn back to normal, making him stare when he opened his eyes. "I'm...so confused." A heavy sigh passed his lips and with a shake of his head started to walk, muttering things under his breath. The more he would go, however, the more he felt defeated. All he wanted was to find something _relatively_ normal in the mansion, but to no avail. "Can't I catch a break? I don't fucking get it..." he called again, knowing he wouldn't receive answer and heaved. The more depressed he felt the more the rooms would change again, this time carrying a more bizarre and twisted look to it. The floor would move, as if something were crawling under the carpet while the walls pulsed and growled, making him even more uncomfortable. It was even more so when he looked up to see _something_ hanging from the ceiling. It was a deep blue and yet not and when he touched it, it felt like "Hair?..." With a shudder he ducked, hoping not to touch it again, albeit it was rather impossible as the hair would grow longer every time he tried not to make contact with it. He gave in after a few minutes and just ignored it, taking no notice to the fact it would disappear behind him the less attention he paid to it.

"Well...How long do you suppose it will take him to catch on to your little scheme? He's not as air-headed as the new Mistress and he's a quick learner. And when he _does_ figure it out, what will you do?" Spinel asked, glancing up to his master before his gaze returned to the portal.

"Which scheme? This is a game, dear Spinel, and I want him to catch on quickly. As for the overall scheme, he won't know about that until he can deal with it in a mature manner." Eriol chuckled as the halls changed rapidly. "He's confused, but I have a feeling he's going to catch on in a little bit. What I wonder is how he'll react when he realizes how long we've been gone from the real world."

Spinel look up from the picture in the floor. "It doesn't feel that long though, no more than thirty minutes."

"That's the beauty of it, Spinel." Eriol felt another smile grow. _I wonder how much longer it will take him. He is a fast learner, but his emotions get in the way of his judgment, making things like this take longer than they should._ "Then again, he's taking the amount of time I figured he would, so I'm not too disappointed."

The cat guardian sighed. "He's going to be mad..."

"This won't go away until he is calm. So until he calms himself completely, he will not be free to be angry with me. In that sense, he will have already taken one step in gaining control."

"And that is?"

"Having a clear mind in even the most heady of situations."

Syaoran stood in the hallway, clearing his thoughts so he could concentrate. "Okay...He's not going to let me out of here until I figure out his little trick. So...The question is: What's the trick? What is the whole point behind the place changing." The boy had been talking to himself for a few minutes now, trying to discern fact from fantasy, though he still harbored angered and depressed feelings towards his captor. "Hnnn...I'm losing my mind! I want out!" He started ranting, but stopped, raising his fists as a sudden thought struck him. He glanced from side to side, watching the surroundings with a scrutinizing expression. When he began to lose control of his feelings he began to see that the house changed. Whenever he got angry it rotted away and turned decrepit, when he started to feel depressed or sad everything would become twisted and out of the ordinary. After standing there for a little while longer, his feet moved once more, this time at a more even and steady pace, his expression being void of emotion as he cleared his thoughts, eyes closing so his focus would remain undivided.

"My, my...He's finally catching on." Eriol scratched his chin whilst leaning forward in toward the picture in the floor.

"He's actually collecting his thoughts? Remaining calm?"

"Surprising to you, eh, Spinel?" The mage chuckled. "He has had some training. He at least knows how to focus enough to discern right from wrong. The question is if he can do so under pressure."

"So you're testing his breaking point? And what of when he snaps? What then, master." There seemed to be a small amount of distrust in the guardian's voice.

"I will build him up again. What doesn't kill you; makes you stronger. The more he is torn down, the stronger he'll become when he's built up again."

"He's going to hate you for it."

"Only until he realizes I am right. Then he will have to face the truth." Eriol circled a finger in the fabric of the chair. "Now, Syaoran-kun, can you finish what you've started? Can you solve the puzzle?"

The descendant of Clow had caught on to the purpose of the house, now he just needed to figure out where the exit was. "Please let me be finished with this..." he sighed heavily only to gasp and duck as something came flying at him before hitting the wall behind him with a loud sound. "Mmm. That was too close." He clenched his fists, ready to scream and curse his ancestor for trying to take off his head; however, he steeled his nerves and took a deep breath. "Alright, if that's how you want to be..." With much reluctance and even more self-control he willed himself not to get upset or angry over what was happening to him. Instead he used that to his advantage and successfully blocked his emotions from everything.

"Hmm...He's quicker than I thought...It won't be long now..." Spinel murmured mostly to himself as he continued to watch their source of entertainment.

"Hmmm..." The honey-eyed teenager looked around, seeing that the place had returned to normal, or as normal as it could be for a mansion that belonged to Eriol. That's when he started to notice that the lights were only coming on in certain areas. That caused a slight smirk to form. 

"I see..." with that he sprinted down the halls with determination, but remembered to keep his emotions in check.

"Hnnn..." Eriol laced his fingers together and smiled. "You may have figured out one puzzle but you've stumbled into another. As long as you have a desire to leave, you'll be stuck here."

"Why don't you tell him that." Spinel yawned and stretched before going back to lounging on the arm of the chair.

The mage chuckled. "He needs to figure it out on his own, no matter how long it takes."

The guardian growled. "So you're going to have him wander aimlessly until he figures out that he can't get out?"

"Perhaps."

"Ugh." Spinel got up from his spot and floated to a bookcase. "In that case, I'll be reading."

Eriol leaned forward. "Let's see, Syaoran-kun. Perhaps a little clue might help." Once again, the smoke appeared, billowing in clouds and wisps. Soon Eriol's form appeared near the ceiling of the long hall. "If you can't escape, then there is no exit, Syaoran-kun. Don't waste time looking for what is not there. In my world, everything is different. Rather than you finding things, things find you." The visage faded away, leaving behind only the distinctive smile and glasses.

Syaoran looked up when he heard the magician's voice, eyes narrowing. "Hn...Don't waste my time looking for something that isn't there?" He thought about that as he stopped at a four-way hall, examining each of his options from a distance. "In his world, everything is different. If that's the case he'd never intended to let me out." His eyes fixated on the only lit hallway, tilting his head as he took the time to really _think_ about his choices. _Something about the hallway that doesn't seem...I get it now..._ A smile formed as he slowly stepped away from the lit hallway that tempted him and took the darkest on instead. "If there's no way out, then the only thing to do is find the source of the spell!"

Eriol smiled knowingly, letting a chuckle escape. "Looks like the game is going to continue a little while longer. It would seem he's taking the trial-and-error method." Spinel scoffed, no longer desiring to be apart of the game and instead had his nose buried in an ancient text. "Now all we have to do is wait for is for him to solve the rest of the puzzle."

"We're going to be here forever."

"That's fine by me. He's close to solving it though. He's already realized that things are never as they seem in the world of sorcery. Poor, Syaoran-kun. If he's not careful someone will pull the rug out from under him."

"Like you?"  


"Yes, but I'm using lies to show him the truth. Deception does have its uses." The mage glanced to his creation. "Have more faith, Spinel."

The Chinese warrior had all but given up hope after what felt like another hour of searching. No matter where he looked there was no sign of an exit or the center of the labyrinth. Amber hues peered around, shaking his head before folding his arms after stopping in the middle of another hall. "...There's no way out of here. Hmn." With that said Syaoran sat down against a wall and closed his eyes, choosing not to move. "It's pointless. What I wouldn't give for a nice warm bath now." Another heave came as he shifted, trying to rest though he didn't feel tired. "Well, that's that. I'm not leaving, so there's no point in trying to find a way out. All I want now is a meal and a bed. Seeing as I'm stuck here, though, I guess I'll have to wait." The short-haired brunette murmured to himself idly.

"Hmm...interesting. Has he given up?" The reincarnation of Clow rested his face in his palm. "Well, you've been good so far with my tests. I suppose if I don't give you some kind of reward...you just might not trust me."

"What makes you think he'll ever trust you?" Spinel did not lift his head from the pages, although he kept actively listening.

"Trust comes with time." Eriol waved his hand and the Labyrinth disappeared, soon replaced by the room Syaoran had been sleeping in. This time though, there was a trey of warm breakfast and lunch foods waiting to be consumed. "Perhaps this will teach him to search with a clear mind."

"Or perhaps it will teach him nothing." Spinel sighed, turned one of the withered pages.

When Syaoran opened his eyes next he was met with the strange site left behind by Eriol's magic. At first he wasn't sure he wanted to move as it may be another trap, however, after waiting a few moments and taking the time to actually _sense_ his surroundings he stood up and walked over to the bed. The meal pulled over to him as he took a seat, staring at the fork on the table and the interesting food on the tray. It was apparently English food and he'd seen how people eat in other countries. "Hm...Doesn't look too bad." he murmured to himself as he picked up the utensil and started eating, finding that foreign food wasn't as disgusting as his sister's used to tell him as they'd tried many different foods before. Once the meal was finished with he sighed heavily and laid back on the bed, an arm covering his closed eyes, the other laying across his chest. "I wonder how much longer this will last before he finally decides to teach me face-to-face. At least then it won't be so lonely..." the youth uttered softly with a sigh.

The last statement uttered by the boy perked Eriol's interest, more than it should have. "Interesting..." He couldn't help but feel a smile creep onto his face. "He's...lonely..."

Spinel jolted, a little started at his masters sudden change. "You just admitted that he didn't trust you, and you're going to attack him in that manner?"

"Hah hah hah, no. I'm going to give him what he asked for." Eriol got up from the chair, straightening his robes. "He said he wanted hands on training." The trip to the boy's room wasn't too long, as the house had now returned to normal. He placed a hand on the door before pushing it in. "Syaoran-kun, that was quite a lesson, wasn't it?

The teen was content to just fall asleep right then and there, but the sound of Eriol's voice startled him out of said sleep. "Hiiragizawa...?"

"So, tell me, will you be having hands on lessons from now on? I would prefer it if that were so." He placed his hands together, his trademark smile still on his face.

Syaoran blinked and sat up, staring at the blue-haired mage incredulously. He gave a frown, then snorted, looking away. "I suppose so...So now what?" he wondered with a heave, laying back down, both arms now covering his eyes. "How much more training is there? It doesn't quite feel like I've done much...I haven't been here that long."

"Actually, you've been here about a week...but no matter." The mage waved his hand as though to brush off the importance of the detail.

"A-A...week!?" he lifted his head and stared in surprise, grumbling as he grabbed a spare pillow from next to his head and flung at Eriol, prior to rolling over on his side facing away from him with a huff.

Eriol stood still, smiling as the pillow bounced off his head. "For now, you should go back to sleep. However, this lesson was premature due to your own impatience. As long as you patiently await my lessons there should be no more big surprises." He pulled a desk chair over and sat down, situating himself more comfortably. "You seemed to have figured out how my house works, at least partially, and I assure you, I want to teach you as you mother instructed."

"I hate you, I really do. I'm going to bed." he exclaimed and shifted to get comfortable. "Wake me up early in the morning, I don't know if my mother told you, but I practice my sword techniques when I first get up." Was his last murmur before he fell silent.

"Of course, Syaoran-kun. I'll send for you around 4AM or so." He stood up, picking up the pillow and placing it on the bed. The boy was tired and was soon asleep, allowing Eriol to keep watching. "Ah, Syaoran, I know you're angry with me, but you'll soon realize my purpose." He placed a hand on the warrior's sleeping form, brushing some bangs from his face, but taking care not to wake him. "And I know you don't hate me...You just don't know how to act around me." He let his hand rest on the boy's cheek, lightly brushing against the skin. Eriol sighed before finally taking his leave, lingering in the doorway. "This will take a while, but...patience is a virtue, I suppose."

**Ending Note: ** The plot thickens (not really) and the games continue (sorta). Will Syaoran figure it out? For our sakes, I sure hope so, and fast.

Feel free to leave a critique or point out any spelling, name or other stupid errors I might have made. I make quite a few.

**Final notes:** We all know Eriol is getting a kick out of 'watching' Syaoran. Who knew the old perv was into voyeurism?

Also, Earl Grey is a form of English breakfast tea.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


	3. Training in the Dark

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing, injury, angst (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

Here's where things start to move forward, ok guys? Also, this is getting updated much faster than I anticipated O-O. Well, can't complain, eh? I really appreciate any comments left, btw and all comments will be addressed in future chapters out of appreciation. If you could spare a moment to just write a short sentence, we would both love and appreciate it. And by both of us I mean, me (Sniffits) and Toy, my roomie. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter, it's my second fav so far, but the next chapter is my favorite. We really get to see into Syaoran's mind :3

**Points of interest:**

See if you can guess who this 'she' that Eriol keeps referring to is. She'll show up in later chapters too. 1,000 pts to the person who guesses!

_thoughts_

"speaking"

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

Technical crap is lulz –munches on some edamame-

**Chapter 3 - Training in the Dark**

The tea steeped as Eriol turned the fire down. "Hnnn...Four in the morning. Spinel, go get Syaoran-kun." He began to pour the tea into a glass tea-cup before waving the guardian in the direction of the boy's room. "He'll be cross if we wait too long."

Spinel twitched his ears. "Make Nakuru do it."

The mage sighed. "Hah ha, fine. Nakuru, please go get Syaoran-kun." He lifted the cup sipping it and inhaling the steam. "Lavender."

"Huh?" Nakuru looked up from the TV which was blaring a soap opera at 10 decibels louder 

than necessary. "Go get Syaoran-kun?"

"Please?" Eriol smiled over the brim of his cup.

"Okay!" She ran off toward the proper wing, giggling, before running through the large door to the guest room. "Syaoran-kun! Syaoran-kun!" She skipped to the bed and pulled the sheets off completely. "Syaoran-kun, wake up!"

There was no response at first until the sound became so loud that Syaoran could hear it ringing in his head. "Shut up already, I'm awake!" he half grumbled, half-shouted and literally smacked her as hard as he could with his pillow before grabbing the sheets back. While he fumed he made the bed then shoved her out of the room so he could change and grab his sword. Once finished, he stormed down to where Eriol was and threw the door open, walking up to him to glare. "Of all people why did you send **it** in there to get me!? Don't you have the decency to wake me up _yourself_?" the descendent growled out, holding his sword to the bespectacled male's face.

Eriol turned around the face the angry intruder, a look of 'bewilderment' on his face. "Hm? I seem to recall you not wanting to see me, so I didn't think you'd want me to wake you up." He took another sip, looking amused by the whole situation. "I didn't want to anger you further, although I was actually going to send Spinel to get you. He refused. Now..." He placed and hand on the sheath of the boy's sword. "I believe you wish to practice your kata stances? There's a clearing in the backyard perfect for you to use." He moved aside, motioning to the table. "And there's breakfast for when you're done."

"...Anything is better than that, that..._thing. _It's annoying!" Syoaran shouted before turning tail and heading out. He meditated first to prepare his mental state, then stretched to loosen up his muscles. Starting out simple was always best before he got to more extreme exercises as the sun rose beside him. A sheen of sweat coated his skin after about two hours of his intense training, the beads rolling down his face there they didn't stick to his bangs as his movements increased and became more fluid, each muscle flexing and contracting accordingly to his motions. It had gotten to the point where he had discarded his top, it now hanging around his waist from the tuck in his pants while he jumped around and swung his blade with ease, his face holding pure concentration.

Eriol watched the training, not letting his eyes leave the scene before him. "Things are becoming even more interesting."

"I'm beginning to see why he calls you a lecherous pervert." Spinel yawned before taking another sip of the curry he had made.

The mage laughed. "Heh, well, I'm only admiring the scenery." He watched intently, gaining further knowledge of his subject and devising plans for future exercises. "He really has grown, in spirit, mind and body." He stood up after finishing another cup of tea and stepped outside. "When you're ready, we can begin your real training. That is, if you're ready." His face became serious, that of a true mentor, ready to train his student.

The brunette came slowly to a halt in his actions and glanced over his shoulder panting. "I'm ready if you are." he replied and turned around, standing before the much older male, the same serious expression being harbored on his youthful features. Amber hues narrowed and he held his sword at his side feeling the warm rays of the morning sun hit his damp flesh. "As long as you don't fuck with me I'll be more than willing to follow your instructions..."

Eriol couldn't help but smile maliciously. "Very well then." The sun, which had been rising steadily, was replaced by a thick darkness that swallowed everything around the duo. "How about training in a place where you're blind." The mage raised his hand calling dark forces from around him. "Seeing as you've already focused for long enough you should be able to fight without using your eyesight. Right, Syaoran-kun?" The forces formed into arms that whipped around dangerously close to their intended target. "Focus and all should be well, hmm?"

Syaoran's eyes narrowed as he watched the darkness consume him, keeping himself calm despite the sudden turn of events. "Hmm, an interesting start." he said to himself as he closed his eyes, the lean frame moving back and forth to avoid the arms that came after him. "What other plans do you have for me, old mage?" he asked, using his sword to deflect some of the attacks, albeit there were a few that got passed him because he hadn't taken the time to regain his stamina between now and his morning exercises.

"I'm planning on doing what was promised. Now, do as you were instructed. Find the source of this without knowing who or what it is and without being able to see it at all." He laughed, a deep and menacing kind of laugh. The dark arms probed, looking for the right time to strike. Eriol saw and opening and took it, as one of the arms shot toward the warrior wrapping around the boy's arm before whipping away, leaving a red wrapped mark behind. "Here's the trick with this battle. Each time you are marked on your body you lose a little strength. When you have lost strength completely, you will lose to me." Eriol took his glasses off, cleaning them. "You wouldn't want to lose...to me, now would you?" _Hopefully this will get his competitive blood flowing. If that's the case then this should be...interesting..._

There was an indignant snort as he continued to maneuver around the onslaught, though the catch to his arm made him growl. Feeling himself momentarily weakened, he quickly regained his lost composure and steeled himself and his determination not to be defeated by the mage. This only proved to make the challenge more difficult for Eriol's arms as he was making use of his instincts to narrowly escape being touched by the darkness. "I'm not going to lose to you, Hiiragizawa. You may have the upper hand and more power and wisdom than I, but I _do_ have heart and will. I'm not going to fail." his words were as swift as his feet, growing weaker with it simple brush of those cold black fingertips. With a final effort he did a back-hand spring out of the reach of almost a dozen hands then lunged forward, thrusting his blade in front of him only to stop on the side of the blue-haired male's head, a few short strands falling from where they were cut. "Don't underestimate me Hiiragizawa."

Eriol widened his eyes in mock surprise. It wasn't that he wasn't shocked at all, it was that he felt a strange sensation as the strands were cut. It was something he wasn't _quite_ expecting. Then again, he had been wrong before. "You've grown, but that doesn't mean I've underestimated you, rather, I've estimated you precisely. I was just...a little taken aback, is all." He countered by gripping the boys arm, surging power through it that rippled like electricity. "However, if you mean to defeat me, then strike as though you wish to kill." His grip tightened on the limb threatening to shatter the bone, but stopping short. "Be careful getting close to me and thank your gods and ancestors I don't want to kill you." He sneered before pulling his arm back and thrusting it forward, throwing Syaoran back with force. "Now, try again."

Syaoran let out a yelp, as he was thrown back, his body striking the ground with force. He soon regained his footing, pulling his sword toward him with determination. "Fine, if that's how you want this to be." he stated flatly and paused, his blade being pulled to his face as his eyes remained closed, concentrating all of his energy into his attacks. Even with the pain still shooting through his arm he made another go of it, dodging the arms that were trying to protect Eriol as he lunged, this time thinking not of simply getting his attention, but to full on strike to kill. Emotions and hesitance was not something that he could afford to have at the moment or it would hinder any chance of success against his ancestor. To accompany his physical attack he pulled out one of his talismans, summoning the thunder god to aide him in his time of need.

Eriol chuckled. _Had it been Clow testing you, he might have felt bad, but I harbor none of his resentments. You may call me soulless, but I desire results. _He raised his hand, easily deflecting the charm. "Those 'ofuda' did nothing to Yue, a mere creation. What makes you think they'll work against me? Or are you operating on the idea that only magic that isn't mine will work? I seem to recall you using that strategy on 'Void'." _Though, I also recall you failing there as well._ As the sword made contact with him he disappeared in a puff of smoke that the blade sliced through easily. "Smoke, as a colleague of mine once said, is a wonderful substance that speaks in volumes and forms misty illusions that fool even the smartest of minds." As he reappeared on another pedestal he easily erected from the ground, he placed and hand into the inky blackness that surrounded him. "Isn't it an eerily beautiful sight?" The smoke turned into billowing shapes, red, orange and yellow, forming demon-like beasts that surrounded the battle field.

"Hnn damn you! Why don't you try fighting like a real man instead of hiding behind your magic? That's all you do is let your servants and your power do the fighting for you while you sit back and watch with an amused smirk. Sometimes I'm ashamed to call someone like you my ancestor who uses cheap parlor tricks to gain the upper hand on someone who has little magical ability." Syaoran snapped back in irritation as he fought of mentioned 'servants'. It was taking its toll both physically and mentally on him, but he still had the strength to keep going. He wanted to prove his worth in the eyes of someone greater than himself after all as well as his mother.

Eriol couldn't contain his laughter anymore as it let out, loudly throughout the arena. "Oh, Syaoran-kun. Just the response one might expect from someone who is weaker. When a man is losing the fight he always finds some way to make himself look and feel better. 'The sun was in my eyes', 'I was tired' and now 'You're cheating'. I'd be lying if I said I expected better, though. You and I both know that if you were fighting someone weaker than you, you would fight on your level, not there's. Don't try to hurt my feelings by calling me names." He pointed a finger, before swiping across, making the dark guardians he had summoned disappear. _You'll be back, after I teach him a lesson._ He then drew out his staff before leaping forward, summoning his most powerful binding magic. "_This_ should be easy enough for you to dodge, right?" In truth, the bindings were just a distraction as he reached out, probing in the darkness until his fingers curled around Syaoran's neck.

The boy coughed as best he could while his neck was gripped, painfully, before falling to his knees when they disappeared. His head spun and his whole body felt heavy from the lack of stamina.

"Even you use your magic to give you an advantage. I am teaching you, so you must learn." His grip tightened before fading, leaving a bruise. "Now, how about we resume where we left off?" With that, the beasts returned, once again attacking from all directions in the void.

With much force Syaoran stood and defended himself, albeit he was failing as the horde surrounded him, making escape impossible. "I don't give a fuck what you expected. You _and_ my mother expect so much of me and I am only one person...I am only human. I can only **do** so much! Nothing ever pleases either of you! It's always 'Syaoran you're not exceeding my expectations' or 'Syaoran why aren't you learning fast enough? You'll never gain power at the rate you're going'. I'm sick of it! I can't do _anything _right! If I'm such a failure why do you even bother!? I don't want to learn if all you're going to do is berate and belittle me!" his mind snapped as well as his body as the warrior gave in to his weakened state, in turn giving the creatures the opening they'd been waiting for. One last deflection of their assault was made before he dropped to his knees, blade buried in the ground as he held onto it with both hands for support. Dampened bangs covered half-mast amber eyes as he panted, his body looking rather beaten, a few trickles of blood rolling down the side of his face as well as the corner of his mouth, the bruises from the hands turning an indigo color outlined in a sickening green as the blood rose to the surface of his tanned, sweat-laden skin. "You always expect too much of me. I'll never be good enough for you." he murmured more angry and frustrated with himself than Eriol at his own weakness.

The mage felt something, not sympathy, no. He had ditched most of that side of Clow when he gave half of his powers to Fujitaka. What he felt was more; a sign. A signal that all good mentors feel when they've gone far enough, and that was where they were at in this exercise. They hadn't reached the point they needed to be at, but it was done. Eriol recalled everything, the darkness and the monsters before restoring the pedestal and approaching the boy's shaking frame. He looked on the verge of tears and Eriol felt a smile again, this time gentler as he kneeled, reaching to grip the boys chin and pull him close. "Syaoran-kun, you ask too much of yourself at once. You're just a confused boy. You want to be punished and worked because it is in your nature, yet you fight it out of some sort of desire to be alone. In the end, you fear loneliness, don't you?" The mage leaned in further, pressing his lips to the boy's cheek, just below his eye, filling him with magic. "I think it's best if you rest for now. You can eat later." He raised his hand, one final time, placing it on the boy's eyes and forcing him into a dreary state. _After all, what will he learn if I break him too early?_

Syaoran was willing himself not to break in front of the superior boy, but he felt completely drained in mind and body. No reply came as he peered up into those deep, almost sadistic, blue eyes, feeling tears threaten him as his consciousness faded along with his vision.

"How much abuse do you think that boy can take? I see no potential in someone who is just going to whine the entire time." Spinel muttered as he watched Nakuru carried Syaoran into the house, the small black creature then turning his attention back to his master. "Do you intend to break his spirit? Don't push him too hard or he may genuinely come to despise you and I _know_ that's not what you want. Try showing _some_ sympathy. I know you have none because of Fujitaka, but you could at least pretend to try." The cat wondered with a tilt of his head before flying inside.

Eriol stared into the fire as he sat down, waiting for the boy to awaken. His face was stoic, not changing even as Spinel unwittingly threw accusations at him. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And, nothing worth having is free. He will learn nothing if he doesn't earn it."

"And you're willing to make him hate you for that?"

Eriol sighed, feeling, for the first time in ages, a twinge of sadness. "If his hatred is a side effect of his training, then yes."

"You mean, you'd risk losing any chance with him, so you could make him stronger?" The guardian looked bewildered, his tone sounding almost angry.

"Strength is what he needs right now. After all, he must be a guardian to her, and the future. Without it, the plans that she and I laid will fall through." His eyes never left the dancing firelight.

"I don't understand you. I thought you brought him here to woo him."

"No." His words were finite, echoing through the large chamber and startling Spinel. "My own wants do not come above this, the future. If he chooses to hate me, then so be it."

The brunette was given a few hours of rest, before waking up sometime in the middle of the night simple to stare blankly out the large window, his focus being on the swaying of the leaves that blew in the night breeze. "Am I really that weak that I can't even stomach his contempt. Maybe I am just fearing loneliness because I'm too scared of sacrificing something important to me..." he mused to himslf quietly, burying his face in the blankets with a shaky heave. "And…why _do_ I hate him?" That was a question he didn't want to answer, not even to himself. Some deep part of his mind knew the truth. He had been enamored, like everyone else; seduced by the mage's aura of power, but, there was more to it. His heart knew, but he wouldn't even acknowledge it. There was more to it than latent fascination, which is why he threw a fit anytime someone mentioned Eriol's name. Anything - anything to keep them and him from realizing the truth of his feelings.

Syaoran's feet padded on the ground as he explored the hallways of the large manor. Escape was no longer in his mind now, just restlessness and longing for a companion to at least converse with without being reprimanded and mocked. He sighed softly, wincing as his throat ached, the bruises on his body being dark on his skin. He was sure they'd heal at a more rapid pace since he was with the magician, but it didn't alter the fact that it still hurt to move or even breathe. A hand reached over his bare shoulder and touched one of the handprints on his shoulder blade and groaned, his head hanging. "He always was so physical with everything..." A few more hallways and he found himself in a large windowed room with oak floorboards and a fire-lit chandelier. At the other end was a black grand piano which he approached and idly hit a few keys, taking a seat to stare down at the white tools. He didn't know how to play anything except a simple lullaby, but even that wasn't very good. It was soothing, however, to have sound rather than the eerie silence, so he continued to play with the large instrument, letting his mind sink into itself to dwell and everything that had happen and could, potentially, occur.

Eriol had been strolling through the hallways, dwelling in thoughts of the future, something that woman had always told him not to do. No, that wasn't right. That woman had not spoken to him yet; he was only remembering what she had said to Clow. It wasn't as though he didn't know that dwelling didn't help, it was that he had nothing better to do. It was then that he heard to soft melody of a lullaby being played. He surmised that it was Syaoran, seeing as how no one in the house other than he could play. He admitted it was amateur sounding, but still nice, and it perked his interest as he would have never pegged Syaoran as being the type to play at all. He turned heel and headed for the music room, his thoughts lifting ever so slightly.

Seeing the warrior in an unguarded moment was a sight to behold that Eriol absorbed as he quietly approached the grand piano. He stared, feeling a calm wash over before leaning in and placing his hands on the boy's moving them to a few other keys. "The version you're playing is the simpler version, but if you add in a few more keys it sounds livelier." The scent of battle still hung in the air and Eriol felt the pains Syaoran was suffering through the tough exterior the boy always carried with him.

Syaoran raised no sign of resistance or surprise as he continued to play, his body being slack as he sat there listening to the music being played in a more comforting light. He would never admit this openly to the blue-haired teen, but his company was sometimes very soothing and something he needed every now and then, much like Sakura. Between the two there was so much confusion in his feelings. He loved Sakua, he knew this, but when Eriol was with him similar emotions would stir. Never as strong as his bond with the new Mistress, but enough to make him question himself. "Why me..." the question had weighed on his mind although it had come out nowhere. "Why do you make me feel this way...So...confused and yet..." He had whispered it, too tired to care if the mage overheard.

"Hmm?" Eriol paused in the playing and leaned back until he was standing straight up. "Odd time to bring up such a topic. What sort of answer do you want, and are you even ready for it?" He folded his arms, contemplating what to say next as he played the delicate situation. One way or another, each statement could drive their relationship in a direction, but which one? "Syaoran-kun, do you hate me? I mean, actually hate me." He removed his glasses, cleaning them with his shirt, although, truth be told, they never needed cleaning. "Or is it more...resentment; lack of understanding?" He paused, letting his sharp eyes fall on the boy. "Do you resent me because I puzzle you?" He chuckled. "You never did like my 'speaking in riddles'."

At first there was aggitation in the boy's face, but it eventually fading to something more unreadable as his eyes drifted back to the keys, mimicking what the bespectacled male had been 

doing and continued to play. "...I, no...I don't hate you." he stated after a long period of awkward silence other than the sound of the keys hitting the strings in the piano. "I resent your refusal to be honest with me...Your way of twisting the truth and using my words against me. I don't trust what I don't understand, that should be easy enough for you to comprehend. The uknown...scares me." he uttered softly, his form shaking a bit from feeling so exposed to the other. It wasn't common for him to be so unguarded and open and it usually only happened around Sakura or Meiling, even Wei. Eriol was the last person he would open himself up to, but who else did he have to turn to? Certaintly not Nakuru and Spinel couldn't care less. If he kept it inside, though, he knew he would break.

"I see. It's as I thought." Eriol sighed before taking a seat on the bench and placing his fingers on the keys, playing the same melody only in a higher octave. "You fear what you don't understand, you label me as dishonest and cover you're weakness with brute stubbornness. Sorry if I'm being too blunt, but lying isn't going to get us anywhere. If I might explain, sometimes telling someone the truth doesn't let them understand it. I could train you like you had in Hong Kong, making you practice kata, and inform you of spells. But, what of when you face an enemy?" He paused before smiling. "Do you know how diamonds are made? They start from a soft, sooty rock, known as coal. Even a child can crush it. But, if enough pressure is applied, the coal becomes stronger until it turns into a diamond." He stopped playing, lacing his fingers thoughtfully in his lap. "How do you expect to protect her against enemies if you've never been broken, faced pain or understood what it means to die? Sometimes lies are the best way to tell someone the truth." Eriol turned, gently placing his hands on Syaoran's neck. "I might have been harsh in your eyes, but those who will come after you will be much worse." The magic flowed through is fingers, soothing the injuries a bit and causing the bruises to disappear.

Syaoran sat and took Eriol's words into account, instead of just brushing them off as a simple way to frustrate him. He placed a hand to his neck noting that it no longer hurt to do so and his body didn't ache. A few more minutes of playing together followed before he reached the closing to the lullaby and stood. "I suppose I still have quite a bit to learn, if I can't protect even myself, there's no chance that I could protect someone else, especially her...I'll have to discover the truth to become stronger..." He trailed off as he started for the door, but stopped and peered back at Eriol, offering a rare genuine smile. "Besides, you won't let me leave until I do..." with that he turned and took his leave, heading back to his room to sleep a little longer before the next lesson would commence.

As the door closed, the mage lowered his eyes. "Finally, it would appear we're making progress."

**Ending Note: **Hmm…It would appear that Syoaran has weird feelings for Eriol. Something more than what everyone else gets around him, namely being a weird sort of infatuation. Sort of like what Sakura had for Mizuki-sensei. The 'hou' sort of feeling. Given how the two treated each other at the very end of the series and the mystic air Eriol always carries, I can see quite a few people falling in love with him, even in knowing very little about him. He's just…one of those people. Of course, _real_ love comes with time. –nods-

**Final notes:** If you want to imagine the lullaby in your head then look up on Youtube or another video site 'Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby'. It's not exactly what he's playing, but it was what we were listening to when writing that part. So, just use that to fill your imagination if you so choose.

Also, Lavender Earl Grey tea is amazing. Try it!

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


	4. Mind's Eye

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing, angst, mind games (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

Finally finished. Syaoran's head is hard to write out, lol. Not because he's hard to read, quite the opposite, but because he has so much turmoil that it's difficult to write it all in a coherent manner. Toy and I really tried to capture that torrent of confusion…sorry if we failed D:

Also, smut next chapter. Just have to go through and edit it.

**Points of interest:**

The scale they use is actually a moderated device that psychics use to speak to people. I changed it to make it more…Eriol…heh

_thoughts_

"speaking"

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

If I owned CCS it would be rated 'M' and full of angst and near death/actual death scenes.

**Chapter 4 – Mind's Eye**

"Time to get up Li-sama." Spinel huffed as he sat on the male's back, his tail twitching ever so slightly. "Eriol is waiting for you in the dining hall with breakfast; get up now before it gets cold." The cat called again before floating out of the room, leaving the teenager to his privacy. Said boy rustled under the sheets then yawned, slipping out of bed to stretch then changed into a loose set of short-sleeved forest green robes with a blue sash and black slippers, he rubbing an eye as he walked out after fixing his hair and entered the dining hall with a rather loud greeting from Nakuru. The creation flung her arms around the brunette, trying to smother him until he slipped out of her grasp and took a seat at the end of the table next to Eriol's large red armchair looking quite displeased with the self-proclaimed female.

"Good morning..." he murmured, glancing to the head of the house whilst the two guardians started to serve themselves.

"Good morning." Eriol looked up from a weathered tome he was reading and smiled. "You seem in better spirits today." He waved his hand, lifting the butter and setting it closer to Nakuru so she wouldn't lean over the table to reach for it. "Ready for more training?" Although, no matter how the boy answered, the training would still commence. He just asked to be polite.

"Hm. I guess. I know I don't have a choice." He replied somewhat emptily as he started on his own breakfast whilst trying to protect it from Nakuru's wandering fingers and rather large appetite for being one that wasn't human.

"I think it's time we tackle another tangent before we continue in our previous direction. Oh, and," he glanced up once more. "Don't worry about weapons. You won't be fighting today, at least, not in the traditional means." He picked up a piece of buttered toast from his plate and took a bite, still buried in the text of a dead language.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was having an interesting conversation with Spinel about Eastern magical principles when he realized he had finished his meal. He then politely stood and excused himself from the table, choosing to continue his meanderings until Eriol summoned him for the new training he would receive. "I just _know_ I'll enjoy it as much as the last few lessons." He stated bitterely.

"Well, today should end well." Eriol let out the last bit in an amused voice that hinted to the sarcasm. Spinel glanced up, choosing not to say anything and instead bit Nakuru's hand as she reached over to steal some of his biscuits.

The test would be taxing, to both master and student, so Eriol spent an hour in his day room clearing furniture and meditating quietly. After he finished he created a short table and two twisted chairs on either side, looking as though they had been crafted from oak. In the center of the table was what looked like a scale with two small bowls hanging from either side. Eriol sat in the chair, straightening the wrinkles that formed in his pants. "Everything is set. Now, it's time for the test, Syaoran-kun." He sent out a signal that he knew the boy would hear. It was a sort of reverberating voice that sounded in the recipients head and directed them to where they needed to be. Convenient when you lived in such a big house.

Honey hues looked up from the piano when he heard the summon and sighed, getting to his feet to head for his next 'failure'. Or at least he presumed, but he wasn't likely to give up before trying first. He announced himself before entering and took a seat in the empty chair, staring from the scale to the teacher. "What's this for?" he questioned, gesturing towards the tool.

"We're going to use it to speak to each other in a way that words cannot express." He reached an arm forward, cupping his hand just above the bowl so that his palm touch the point at the end of the arm of the scale. He then motion for Syaoran to do the same. "You and I will both be going, and we need to remain connected if we are to make the journey safely. First, clear your head of all thought until there is nothing but black. Then, open your chi to me. You've had training controlling your chi, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to do." He grinned reassuringly. "You'll be fine. This is more a learning exercise than a test."

There was more than obvious skepticism in his expression as he eyed the male and the item again before slowly reaching out to mimic his moves, clearing out his mind until there was nothing but darkness, something he was never comfortable with, but had no choice but to tolerate. "I'm ready..." he murmured.

_This is going to feel a strange to you._ Eriol was now speaking entirely with his mind, conveying his thoughts rather than words. _We're going to join together into one entity. In this world, actions mean nothing and your mind must remain clear. I _cannot_ stress that enough. Keep it clear._ Eriol then moved his spirit so that the two were pushed together. After he did so, he formed apparitions of himself and the boy. _Since this is your first time, seeing with your mind is not going to be easy. We'll stick with visuals our first time through. _

_I already don't like this_...was what came in reply as he stood there taking a moment to gather his surroundings, or lack-there-of. It started out slow at first, voices and images floating around them. Soon, the visage of his mother began to form in front of him, regal and judging.

Eriol stared, nonplussed. He felt only a little surprised that Yelan was the embodiment of Syaoran's weaknesses in his own mind. For a moment he was expecting Sakura, or maybe even himself.

Her glare seemed to be boring into him, pushing him down. _Tell me, Xiao-lang…what is it that you have been doing all this time? Did you come to mend the garden on play in the flowers? _Her face seemed bitter, as though she had tasted tasteless wine. _What is the point if you're going to fail? What is the point if you're going to run away like a child before those that need protection?_

_N-no…I mean…_Syaoran held his head, shaking it. _Can't you see I'm trying? Isn't that the point of all of this?_

_Point? The point is that you will come back to us with some use, rather than a silly boy that throws incantations and spells around without knowing their proper use or strength. How can you, a mere boy, expect to protect anyone?_

Her words filled the void as images of those he cared for flashed before them, causing him to stare in mild shock until the voices grew in strength and number. Soon, before him stood Sakura, the mistress of Clow, her face saddened.

_Mother…why don't you praise me for my efforts. Why is it that everything I do is mediocre and I can't ever make you happy? Why can't we just be like a normal father and son? I don't want to fail; I don't want to be weak, but where is the purpose in my life? Is it simply to love and protect Sakura? Was that my fate from the beginning? Did I not have a choice?_

The regal woman seemed to scoff. _Choice? Fate, Syaoran. Fate cannot be changed. How could you, a simple thread in the tapestry, argue with this thinking?_

_A thread?_ He looked at her with shame. _That's all I am? Is that all I am to you? __Make it stop..I don't want to do this..._he pleaded as he held his head while the image of Sakura stared at him mournfully before turning and walking away.

_Sakura?_ He stared after her, upset. _Am I the reason she feels sorrow and pain? Is she unhappy with me? Does she really love me or is there someone else that I am filling the void for? Am I just a substitute for the person she really loves? What about Tomoyo? She loves Sakura as much as I do, so, what if Sakura ends up loving her more than me?_ _N-No...Stop...Please...No more..._

Suddenly the visage of Eriol appeared. It wasn't the real one, standing just behind him, but one of his own creation. He seemed to eye with a contemplative glance. _Oh, Syaoran-kun. It's quite obvious that you've developed a crush on me, what with your constant avoiding. I'm so much older than you though, and have had many lovers that can't possibly be replaced by a silly boy like you._

The real image of Eriol felt himself jolt at the statements concerning him. He hadn't expected the boy to already be contemplating feelings of love for anyone other than Sakura, let alone for him. He grimaced. _I've opened up more than intended._

_But I don't…_ Syaoran stared, horrified. _I don't…_

_Of course you don't. That's why we're here. Because you feel nothing for me._ He voice dripped with sarcasm.

_D-do I at least mean something to you?_

_Perhaps. Or, perhaps you are merely a tool in my plans. Can you trust me? Do I love you? Do you love me?_

_I…_

_You silly boy, you _are_ in love with me. You're just scared because you also love Sakura and can't choose between us. _

_Stop._

_You also feel that you're not worthy of either of us. Or is it…you're not worthy of love at all? Not worthy because you're a failure who can't choose between two people. _

_Stop._

_And so, we enter a stalemate, where you pretend to hate me, but secretly love me but you also love Sakura, and you won't choose, so you don't have to punish yourself with a difficult decision. You sit there and tell me you hate being weak, and yet, here you have a decision of love and you can't even make it?_

_S-stop. _Syaoran could feel his resolve begin to fade as he dropped to his knees, shaking violently as tears streamed down his face, clutching his head tightly as he screamed and tried to force the images and the echoes to disappear. There was nothing he could do to stop it now, the floodgates were open and he was completely helpless to the waves of inner turmoil and despair that drowned him.

Voices. Voices all around him, sounding just like him, yet being of another entity echoed throughout.

_I don't want this anymore! Nothing I do is right! I'm not strong enough for anyone! I don't deserve to love anyone…Why couldn't I be a normal teenage boy?! Why was I chosen to suffer a fate like this, where life hangs in the balance and my purpose in this world holds not value? Why must I exist for the pleasure and entertainment of others? Why can't I simply be accepted as just me? I don't want to be something I'm not…so stop making me into something I'll never be. Don't change me! I can't change to be what you want me to be; I can only be what I know to be the true me! I'm a failure; I'm weak and pathetic…I can't do anything for anyone. I don't care anymore and I hate it! I…I don't want to be alone…please…_

The sound of the images shattering around him was almost as loud as the screams and accusations being thrown around, the shards cutting at him mercilessly as he knelt there screaming in pain, the voices now laughing and deliberately mocking him in his weak and pathetic state. The last of his control and the bottled emotions inside him came crashing down, his mind and spirit breaking into thousands of pieces like the images that cracked around him.

As the voices grew more violent, Eriol felt his own worry grow as well. He remained firm, refusing to intervene as long as Syaoran had control, though even that was lost as he felt the bowl on Syaoran's side fill with sand. The way the tool worked was that as one loses control in their mind the till is filled until it is weighed down too much and is about to break. Eriol felt his own side lift and Syaoran's became more weighted. _Syaoran! Concentrate, and calm down!_ But the boy would not listen as his world crumbled around him, collapsing the weight of the world. Finally, and against his creed, he intervened. _I won't lose you!_ He clapped his hands together as magic flowed through the space evaporating everything. Eriol woke up first, leaping from the seat and pulling Syaoran's hand away from the scale. It was stuck, still tugging at the guilt the boy had found in those illusions of his mind but Eriol finally managed to sever it. He then gripped Syaoran by his shoulders and shook, worry coloring his face. "Syaoran. Syaoran, please. Wake up!" He pulled the boy's shaking form to his chest.

At first there was no response, however, when he finally _did _reach reality again he let out a loud cry and held his head, feeling like it had been split open with an axe. Tremors coursed through him at an uncontrollable pace and he was hyperventilating on top of the tears that streamed heavily down his face. "Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!!" he repeated and threw his arms around Eriol, holding onto him in a compelling grip, as if he would die if he let go of the taller boy, his face burying itself in his chest as he wept openly, hands clutching the back of his clothing until his knuckles turned white.

Eriol felt the boy's weight against his chest as he was wracked with worry but also a bit of relief. At least Syaoran had come out of it. That was the best he could hope for. "I'm sorry. I had no idea you had _that much_ bottled up. If I had known I would have taken it much slower." He ran a hand through the boy's hair before pulling him closer and stood up. He felt a strange sense taking over. It was something that could be called matronly, but it felt more like how someone would dote on their hurt lover. The mage raised one arm, snapping his fingers so that they were taken to his bedroom. Later he would berate himself for not taking the boy to the place he was sleeping, but at the time his mind had been focused too much on worry to care. He laid Syaoran on the bed before placing his hand on the boy's face. "Sleep, for now. Just a few hours." He paused before leaning. "And don't worry; I'm right here." It was the truth as he climbed onto the other side of the bed and propped himself up, thinking of the previous moments that had occurred.

Only when he was laid down did Syaoran's grip loosen. His laments soon fell to nothing more than uneven breaths as he slept, the semi-peacefulness of it lasting maybe an hour. Eriol, on the other hand had been deep in thought and even contemplated contacting _her_ and asking for advice. Well, not advice, but council; another opinion. It was when Syoaran began tossing and turning fitfully that Eriol was hit with the proper solution. He felt his spectacled eyes widen when his hand was grasped so desperately.

The mage mentally kicked himself as a few rogue tears slide down the boy's pain-stricken face.

"Syaoran..." The mage's tone was almost sad as he reached down and woke the boy from his dreaming, sparing the warrior from more torment. His face was close so that their breath mingled. He didn't want to admit it, but seeing Syaoran in so much pain killed him. _Damn you, Clow. Damn you and your latent sympathies._

They did not remain that way for long as Syaoran violently awakened and gasped, almost going into a panic until he realized where he was and who he was with. The images were gone and that was all that mattered, but what seemed to scare him the most now was...everything was out in the open and he could no longer hide behind his façade. Confused ambers peered into sapphires before he sat up quickly and sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head still trembling and wishing it was all just a bad dream.

Eriol sat on his knees as he watched the brunette move to the edge of the bed. "Syaoran..." He had been mulling the experience over in his head and one thing had stuck in his mind. "Is the reason you've been avoiding me because you find yourself having feelings for me? Are you worried about what that means with you and Sakura? Or are you afraid you've betrayed yourself by falling for the enemy?" He moved forward until he was against the boy's back, lacing his fingers through Syaoran's chocolate hair. Going into his descendant's mind was supposed to be an exercise in opening up and strengthening the boy against his own psychological pitfalls. He hadn't expected so many revelations or bottled up guilt to pervade. The two of them had become closer in one afternoon than most people might expect to be after a lifetime, because of that.

Syaoran didn't answer at first, having tensed up to the touch though it gradually relaxed him. He wasn't sure he wanted to answer or even how to answer. There were a few minutes of silence a he considered his words before sighing shakily as he tried to clear his head though the psychological attack left him emotionally drained. "It's not just feelings...I...I think I might…" he whispered in an almost inaudible tone, not able to finish the statement, turning his head away from the other for he didn't think he could look the magician in the eyes. "I know you're not in love with me. I'm part of some plan you have. I think I might feel the same for you as I do for Sakura…maybe...and, I don't even know if my love is genuine or if she's doing this out of sympathy for me..." He scoffed. "Hell, maybe it's pity. Tomoyo was there before me after all." He didn't feel the desire to deny anything that he knew for sure, though his feelings were confused even to himself. Lying was not possible now that the mage had personally taken a step into his mind.

Eriol couldn't stop the grin that came to his face and felt his hands tremble. _No, no, not after what just happened. You've waited this long, Eriol. _He shifted before sitting down on the bed, propping himself up on his palms. "In love with me, eh? For a stubborn person, you certainly have a lot of love to give." He chuckled. "And I really wish you wouldn't think so ill of me. 'All a part of my plan'? I'm not _that_ cold and heartless. And as for reciprocated feelings, well...I'll let you figure that one out. For now, you should eat a good meal and meditate. Clear your mind and focus on positive energy. That way you won't have a restless sleep." Eriol could barely contain himself throughout the speech. A smile kept peeking through, revealing how happy Eriol was that his plans had moved so fast.

The brunette couldn't even muster a glare for the other boy's cockiness over the confession and sighed instead, rubbing his face as stubborn tears threatened to form. "Tease and make fun of me all you want, it's not like I have anything left to hide. Or can hide. I'm in no state to decipher your riddles either..." he muttered, gaining back at least a little of that snappy attitude he usually wore. The suggestion of food and meditation definitely sounded good, though, so he stood, only to sway and hold his head with one hand, groaning as the room spun before forcing it to stay still.

Eriol stood, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder as he stumbled.

Pausing Syaoran, regarded the mage. "Hnn...What do you intend to do with me now that you've broken down my barriers?"

"I plan on doing everything else. Breaking your barriers was the first important step. Now your real training can begin. But first," He motioned. "Food. Meditation. Sleep." His smile was full, and he was unable to put it away. As the boy left the room he felt it fade. _So much to work on, it's almost daunting. Still, in time he just may come to understand me like I understand him._

The task was just beginning.

**Ending Note: **Hnn…why is Eriol resisting temptation? Is there something he's hiding? Why does Syaoran have a crush on the mage? Is it like with Yukito, or is it genuine? -shrugs-

J/K, we know the truth. Keep reading and you'll find it out as well.

**Final notes:** The title of the chapter comes from a _Sirenia_ song called 'My Mind's Eye'.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


	5. Foreign Lullaby

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing, angst, yaoi, slight bondage (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

Sorry this took so long. My EMT class is about 100 times harder than expected. I've actually had to read 100 or so pages at a time and memorize quadrants of the body, types of bones, muscles, medical jargon and all manner of equipment. Tomorrow I learn how to shove tubes down peoples throats to help them breath!

Enjoy your smut, my little bunnies. You've been patient enough.

**Points of interest:**

In case this website decides to hate all over this chapter and deletes the fiction, It's also available at adult fanfiction

I will post it at other places like Mediaminer and Suki to Itte. These links _will _be provided when available.

_thoughts_

"speaking"

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

If I owned CCS I would use it to get me into sexy parties filled with naked women

**Special acknowledgements:**

New section! As promised, I have set aside a place for reviewers.

Priestess Catatonia: Thank you so much for your review! You're the first so far and it's nice to know that at least one person is enjoying this! Here's some smut for your trouble, and I'm glad this is your type of fic. I hope it continues to live up to your expectations.

Also, thank you to Priestess Catatonia, Yume Li and Kairi Alyssa Kamiya for the story watches!

**Chapter 5 - Foreign Lullaby**

A certain, powerful mage was sitting, cross-legged in front of a large mirror. On the other side stood a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair. Her face, however, was not amused. "You're as unruly as your namesake." She spat out, her face forming a sneer.

Eriol only laughed. "At least I haven't grown my hair out yet." He motioned to the still short cut he had maintained since grade school.

"The glasses make it an unpleasant picture. Now if you don't mind, I actually have things to do." The image faded as another one formed.

As it faded, Eriol added one final comment before he was greeted with another visitor through the portal. "You're exactly how he remembered you." He paused until the image came into full view and before him stood another tall, elegant woman. "Good morning, or rather, good evening to you, Li-san."

Yelan Li straightened her back a little before speaking. "How are things?"

"We're making progress, although I've had to go backwards to move forward. I had no idea there was so much pent up."

"What do you mean?" The woman looked genuinely confused, which puzzled Eriol.

"It seems your son is a bit masochistic when it comes to guilt and blame, preferring to take it all himself. Thus, creating a barrier of mock-strength to hide his actual weaknesses."

Yelan seemed to ponder this for a moment before clearing her throat. "Strange. I never...I always saw him as..." She didn't seem to know where to take the next statement.

"He is not his father, Yelan." Eriol felt a little twinge of shock at his sudden defensiveness.

"Excuse me, Hiiragizawa-san, but how I raise my children is none of your business."

"You're right, and I apologize." Eriol meant it, calming himself and regaining composure as he bowed. The image soon faded as the mage lounged, contemplating his next move. "Where do we go from here?"

"Eriol, your pet has finished his meal and his meditation and is once again in the music room. You know that's my favourite reading place, can't you make him go elsewhere? The music is 

annoying." Spinel complained as he floated around Eriol's head with his book looking more then pissed. "He's starting to annoy me more than Nakuru...Almost." Meanwhile Syaoran was indeed back at the piano playing the lullaby, looking rather determined to make it sound right.

Eriol laughed a little at the guardian's smug face. "Ouch, Spinel. That hurt and you weren't even insulting me. I think you're exaggerating just a little, though." Spinel huffed, floating to another study where he might find peace. Eriol just smiled before heading to the music room.

"Determined to get that right, huh?" The mage placed his hands over the boy's once more, guiding them to the correct keys.

"...Perhaps. I may as well try something new while I'm here."

"You're timing is off and so is your form." He gripped Syaoran's palms. "Act as though you're holding an apple, and...move your keys to the beat of the song."

"Hmn...I was wondering why it sounded off-key." he murmured, tilting his head as he followed the others' instruction, finding himself relaxing against the taller boy's form. The music sounded a lot more fluid than it had without Eriol's aide, his eyes closing as the melody soothed him. "Mm. That sound so much better. Maybe you can teach me more songs."

"Maybe..." Eriol let out a deep breath leaning forward until his mouth was near the boy's ear. His fingers moved past Syaoran's and rested on the keys, playing a more complex version of the lullaby as he hummed the tune along with it. The moments grew as the song started to reach a crescendo when Eriol took his descendant's earlobe into his mouth, not failing to leave behind the trademark smile that filled certain people with scorn. As he continued to breath, hot and heavy down Syaoran's neck, the song increased in tempo until it came to finale and ended with one final, slow bar.

Syaoran's breath had hitched with every movement the mage made against him, not failing to lose focus during the song. Even as it ended he still felt the breath against his skin, causing his fingers to fumble and slip onto an incorrect note. He was flushing darkly, though he tired to hide it, and his face formed a scowl. "Don't…don't do that…"

"Hmm? Don't do what?" Eriol pulled away from the piano as his hands roamed up Syaoran's shirt. "If you aren't enjoying it, just say so. But, don't lie. I'll know if you're lying." He moved his lips down until they met the boy's neck and he inhaled the scent. In truth, he had missed the smell constantly since leaving Japan, but he would never admit to that. Eriol was the wall of support that other's leaned on, the pillar of strength students looked up to. He wasn't allowed the feelings of a human. So, they remained hidden. Unfortunately, he was having a bit of trouble keeping a few at bay, but his composure remained steadfast. "Well, Syaoran-kun? Do you hate it?" He nipped the boy's neck lightly to bring his point across.

Another sharp intake of breath was given, and Syaoran willed himself not to move towards those 

caresses as he slammed his fists on the keys, clenching them tightly. He didn't reply as he glared off to the side, knowing that if he admitted part of him was liking the attention then things would progressively worsen along with receiving a few smart-ass remarks from the magician. But then, if he didn't admit to anything the situation would _still_ worsen though, without the boasting. It was a lose-lose moment for him and he was aware that Eriol knew that. The nip to his neck made him tremble and he shrugged his shoulders trying to move himself away from the arms of his the ever confusing mage. "I said don't do that..." He repeated finally, it making his point sharper than before.

Eriol chuckled, moving his hand upward, both lifting the boy's shirt. "Avoiding the question counts as lying. I'll ask you again. Are you enjoying it, Syaoran-kun?" The mage snaked his nails gently against the brunette's abdomen while pushing his hips against the boy's backside. His tongue continued to work against the soft flesh of Syaoran's neck as Eriol diligently worked to break the boy into submission. "We can keep doing this, if you want. I won't take you if you are unwilling. If you truly don't enjoy it then say so." He knew what he was doing, and he knew it was leading them down a road they shouldn't be headed. He knew this would upset their plans, but at the moment he was beyond caring.

Eriol was tired of running along the plain lines of fate as they led into the horizon. His world was full of surprises, despite knowing that these surprises could damage things. He would admit, quietly, that he was far more immature and selfish than he let on.

Yes.

Eriol chuckled. He was selfish and wanted to take something he felt was his. What could be the harm in having his way with Syaoran, just once? _Let's settle those latent feelings once and for all, the ones that have persisted since I first left Tomoeda._

Syaoran, on the other hand felt grow even harder to give an answer as his head swam with the sensations, torn between enjoyment and frustration. His eyes closed as he bowed his head, trying to keep himself from shivering. "I-I...Don't." he stammered and pulled himself away from Eriol, sliding from the bench whilst a hand rose to cover the place on his neck where the magician had been tending to. The flush on his face was evident as he shook his head angrily, jerking away as he turned and walked out.

"Damn him..." Syaoran muttered, feeling hot and bothered as he left, choosing to wander to his own room and possibly meditate.

Eriol stood completely still as the younger of the two left the room. He didn't move even when the door closed and he felt the presence of his descendant fade into another area of the house. A knowing smile crept onto his face until a laugh escaped. It started small at first but grew until he paused, removing his glasses to clean them. "Damn, I was so close. You were lying, weren't you Syaoran?" He turned to the door. "I did promise I wouldn't take you if you didn't want it though," His eyes narrowed. "But you had better make up your mind soon." He turned around and sat the piano bench, stretching his hands before settling to play _Flight of the Bumblebee_.

"...Huh?" Syaoran paused in his wandering to listen, uncertain of what it was at first, but when it sank in he blinked, feeling himself swallow hard. The rapid melody sent chills down his spine, sounding both harmonic and yet full of discord. As it played he saw Eriol's image in his mind and felt the anger wrapping through the music. Well, anger wouldn't be a proper descriptive word. It was more like buried frustration or a calling out of sorts. Such thoughts made his heart race, both arms wrapping around himself as though to be sheltered from the cold notes that snaked down the support beams of the old house. A violent shake of his head made Syaoran somewhat calm again as he resumed his walk toward the sanctuary of his room.

The message seemed to be poignant as Eriol's fingers came to rest. When he completed the song he settled into the seat again and began playing a different tune, one that mixed haunting melodies and deep, powerful tones and notes that reverberated throughout the manor. He would later admit that perhaps, he had taken the hit to his pride a little too personally. Part of what made Eriol attracted to the young, stubborn warrior was his…well, stubbornness and pride. He found it exceedingly attractive, though at times he also found it irritating. He hoped though, that his feelings were being conveyed through the music. Even as he played he felt his power surge through to the keys.

Amber hues peered around when the mood changed as the full effect of mood played against. Eriol was angry and he wanted to make sure Syaoran felt it. At last he stopped in the hall and let out a trembling breath, leaning himself against one of the doors, shoulders rising. He wasn't afraid, no, but the pressing aura was stifling and being that he was trapped in the mage's own house, surrounded by Eriol's magic, his chances weren't as good as they might be. He had matured enough in the last few years to realize that being brave had nothing to do with never being afraid.

In fact, only immature or idiotic people thought that.

As the music reached another crescendo, he couldn't help but remember the strange waves of lust that had wrapped around him in the music room. Had that been Eriol's manipulation? Syaoran would have liked to believe so, but he couldn't deny that there was something about the mage that drew everything to him. He rationalized it as best he could. Eriol had power under the moon as well as the sun. Syaoran was just drawn to the power, as he had been to Yue. It was the same magic, after all.

The young warrior shook his head. Lying doesn't work when you can't even convince yourself. Sure he was drawn to Eriol, but he was more like the some sort of stray rock in space that became locked into a planet's pull and spent the rest of it's days happily circling it, completely dependent on the heavily body.

In the music room, Eriol had finally stopped his playing, quite suddenly so that anyone listening would be startled by the final pounding of the keys. He sighed, standing up and straightening his slacks, and making a decision for his next move. "Fine, Syaoran-kun. If that's what you want."

He sighed inwardly. _I really am being selfish._

Eriol walked to the day room, pulling out several texts before absorbing himself in them. Though he wasn't directly speaking to anyone, his aura seemed the choke the atmosphere in the house, so much so that Spinel had to leave the room to read, and Nakuru eventually fled the kitchen to go sit outside.

"Sheesh," she said as she left. "I have never seen him in such a weird mood. He's not angry...just...I don't know?"

Syaoran was just getting himself to calmed down and get over the inner conflicting of thoughts when he felt the aura surround him. It was almost choking him to the point he felt himself shudder at the feeling. _I don't understand this...feeling. What is it?_ Another failed attempt to ignore his desire along with the enveloping aura was made as he pushed his form off the door, turning at first to walk to the farthest end of the house, but something stopped him from moving. He stood there in the middle of the hallway staring at the floor, as if debating something. The longer he stood the more emotion would flash over his face, settling on frustrated defeat.

"...Fuck him." he grumbled and turned around, heading back in the direction from which he came, albeit he avoided the source of the strong power and entered his room to shower doing his best to ignore the mage and his antics. Even standing under the streaming hot water he couldn't detach himself from the questions he had floating in his head about Eriol. A fist slammed on the tiled wall as he pressed his forehead against it, growling to himself. _Damn me and my weakness._

It was his last thought as he turned off the water and got out, changing into a pair of silk whit pants and a loose robe of emerald that was held closed with a black sash.

Meditation _had_ been on his mind until the choking aura of the angry mage had come through. It was like black smoke that seemed to wrap around everything, including his brain. Perhaps pacing would help? Syaoran angrily padded across the floor in a straight line until it felt as though he would draw a line in the floor before sighing heavily and giving up. "Attention seeking brat…" He muttered as he exited the room, seeking out the source of the aura that was haunting him. Once there he slipped into the room quietly and just stared at the male reading, hands grasping his elbows behind his back as he leaned against the wall beside the door, a bare foot propping flat on the surface behind him.

Eriol couldn't help but smirk at as he felt the boy's presence enter the room. He had earned one small victory over Syaoran's prideful nature. He didn't immediately acknowledge him, instead allowing the younger to stand in his uncomfortable silence. Finally, after another few pages, he set the book down patiently and removed his glasses, once again, cleaning them. "Hello, again, Syaoran-kun. What brings you here?"

A frown settled on his face as he looked away for a few minutes, shifting uncomfortably. "Wanted to get rid of the choking aura in the house…It's annoying." he muttered with another shift, passing a fleeting glance to the mage before averting his gaze again. There was a discomfort that came with being in the same room now. Syaoran couldn't stop as a blush crept up his neck, reminding him of earlier in the music room.

The Mage allowed his once kind gaze to become narrow, piercing the air like a blade. "Hmm? I 

see; so it was my aura that brought you here and nothing else? You're not...lying to hide something that might embarrass you, are you?" Eriol lofted his eyebrows, forming an inquisitive expression. "Half-truths are just another way to avoid lying." His eyes then refocused on the text. "Oh well..."

Syaoran shot the old man a glare, though it looked more like a pout than anything. He kept moving around in discomfort, trying not to let his flustered state become obvious, but that was yet another thing he was failing at. "I..." he struggled with his words and shifted on his feet. He tried to actually think about the question, but he felt ashamed. Eriol's attentions had been well received in the music room. He had _liked_ it and that was what scared him the most. _I'm in love with Sakura, remember?_ Where did these thoughts come from? Had he always like Eriol? He could admit there was a curiosity that grew with time, but it was no more complex than any other kind that came with adolescence. Perhaps it was a combination of things, including the sudden, and carnal, desire to repeat their earlier indulgences.

It was too much. Syaoran had never been the type to run away from the truth, unless, of course, that truth meant to bite him in the proverbial ass and then laugh at him.

So, he ran.

"Forget it!" he yelled before storming out of the room and back to his own, slamming the door prior to locking it, then walked over to his bed only to fall face-first onto the mattress. "I hate him...I hate him..."

If only he could convince himself.

Syaoran's eyes fluttered open against the softness of the pillow as his thoughts opened up again, more freely, seeing as he was in the sanctuary of his room. He indulged in them, taking the piano encounter further, wondering what would have happened if he had let it continue. "No…" He was ashamed even as he continued the thoughts. "It's wrong."

The words did nothing to stop his current direction and soon inhibitions took a back seat to what was staring right in front of him.

Curiosity, that damnable word.

"Shit, this is bad." Though Syaoran knew his words meant nothing as he shifted a little, one hand sliding down to dip into his pants, letting out a quavering breath while his fingers moved along his half-hard length. Brows dipped when he grasped himself and gave a slow stroke, he burying his face in the sheets as his free hand gripped them, his arm being bent just above his head so that said hand was near his face. His shoulder rose as did his heart rate, the sounds that escaped being quiet and heady as his expression turned more vulnerable and needy.

He wanted to pretend this wasn't happening, or that is was happening for different reasons. It wasn't that he didn't do this. He was, after all, an adolescent boy, but it was usually caused by thoughts of Sakura and the things they might do with each other in the future. Now, he was 

fantasizing, ashamedly, about Eriol controlling him, taking complete advantage and smiling the entire way.

As though on cue, Eriol was watching from his all seeing portal, finding his sense of self swelling with pride. He admitted that the show was a nice one, but, what inflated the mage's ego the most was that the thoughts causing it were from him. Eriol reached out, waving his hand and forming a ghost like apparition that only he could see. The form circled around Syaoran, pressing against the boy, filling him with warmth throughout his body. It permeated with the mage's scent and Eriol intended for it to completely fill the brunette with a sense of heightened pleasure. _As close as you can get to the real thing...but still not me, Syaoran-kun._

Eriol admitted, he wasn't being all that fair. But, he had already confessed earlier that he no longer cared. He was going to be selfish, even if it meant regrets.

As his hand moved up and down along himself Syaoran started to whimper, though the sudden sense of something there had him gasping out. The sudden rush of heat that spread through him sent shivers up and down his spine, making him writhe as well as pump himself harder. "A-ah…huh?" He questioned, glassy ambers stared out in a daze through half-lids, his breath coming out uneven and quick as he rubbed his thumb around the tip, feeling a stickiness coat it. _I want more...So much more..._

Eriol bit his thumbnail. This wasn't right. He was taking advantage of a boy who had a silly crush – a crush that meant nothing in the scheme of things. But, the sight of Syaoran writhing underneath him, begging like he was just now sent the mage's thoughts out to lunch, his arousal completely taking over rational thought.

"More, huh?" He had given into desire and sometime during Syaoran's act, Eriol and materialized in his room. Actually, to be accurate, he was over the boy's shaking form, his hands on either side of Syaoran's head, both legs straddling his hips. "Well, that can be arranged." He licked his lips, knowing he would make the young warrior upset for having burst in on a private moment, but also sure he had the upper hand. After all, he had heard numerous times in the last few minutes how much his descendant wanted him. Now was the time to give it, right?

The words suddenly made him snap out of his daze and look up only to meet the face of the man he'd been fantasizing about. Red washed over his face more from embarrassment now. "W-What the hell a-are you doing in here?!" he tried to sound threatening, but it came out as a meek whimper, having stopped his acts though it was making him ache for release as well as proper satisfaction while he tried to scramble out from under the magician and out of his reach. "G-Get out of here..."

Eriol leaned in, not deterred by the words at all. "Absolutely not, because I have proof that you're lying." Without another word, he grabbed both of the boy's wrists and twisted him around so that he was one his back. Still holding his wrists, Eriol held them far above the brunette's head so that they touched the headboard. "If you don't enjoy it then why were you in here, fantasizing about me?" He waited for an answer at first but changed his mind quickly, leaning in 

to lick Syaoran's ear lobe. "Don't answer that. I know how stubborn you like to be about the things you actually want."

Syaoran had been caught and he couldn't deny that. _Great, now what the fuck do I do? At this rate he'll..._he didn't finish his train of thought and closed his eyes, turning his head to the side as he tried to calm his breathing. "Why are you doing this?"

Eriol seemed to pause as though unsure of his answer. "Why does it matter?" His grip tightened around Syaoran's wrists.

Being dominated seemed to have a more dramatic effect on the brunette than he was expecting as Syaoran felt the room's temperature rise the more he fought against the restraint. These actions were also causing his lithe frame to rub and grind against the mage's.

Eriol felt his eyes widen just a little at the actions going on beneath him. "Still going to struggle, huh?" He shifted his grip so that both Syoaran's wrists were in one hand. He then raised the other hand, chanting something in a foreign tongue as silk ribbons formed around the wrists he was gripping before wrapping around the head board. "There. Now how do you feel?" Eriol sat up, using his now free hands to pull apart the robe even further, exposing the brunette's chest. He shifted his hips so that they both pushed against each other in close contact before lowering himself once again. "Interesting situation, hmm?"

Syaoran's eyes were wide as he tugged at the bindings, finding it useless as the magic kept them tight. A shuddering breath came out at the contact, his body arching slightly before he forced himself back down onto the bed, willing his body not to react to Eriol's advances. That was difficult, however, when he was being exposed and bound in such an erotic manner that he could feel himself hardening more than he was prior to this. Shoulders rose as his brows dipped, biting his lip to keep from letting out any more provoking sounds that may cause him more trouble.

The mage felt a chuckle escape as he watched the inner battle taking place in Syaoran's head. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he took pity, but it wasn't enough to wash away the current actions the two were taking. "Keep struggling, and see just how far it gets you." He then moved down so that his lips were on Syaoran's collar bone and began trailing kisses down his chest, stomach and then to the base of his shaft. Curling his lips in a sickening smile and reveling in the looks he was sure to be receiving from the confused brunette, he began running his tongue along the underside of Syaoran's length. He only paused to utter a small statement before continuing his previous actions. "I wonder what your brain is telling you right now? Enjoy it? Don't enjoy it? Pretend it's terrible?"

"Ahh..." Was he going to say 'stop'? What was he going to say 'again'? He couldn't quite remember as the attention to his erection had his mind fogging with pleasure. Despite his best efforts his body reacted in accordance with the sensations and rose towards Eriol's mouth, feeling his skin start to dampen from the heat that was radiating off it. "Nnaah. H-Hiiragiz-zawa..." he tried to tell him to stop, but all that came was a rather enticing mewl of his name as his head tilted back and his eyes closed.

Eriol felt his lust grow as he heard his name called out in such a wanton manner. The whole 

picture was arousing him as Syaoran desperately struggled to receive pleasure, yet deny he wanted it. This was why Eriol loved the boy's nature. Clow had been one to go for the fighter than would turn and worship him, namely why he had created Yue as such, although he hadn't intended on starting a relationship with the guardian. Eriol, on the other hand, wanted a stubborn, angry partner that refused to give in until the last bit of sanity was gone. Someone who would shake his head in denial even as he moaned in pleasure. Eriol contemplated the situation once more before lifting his head, and taking Syaoran completely into his mouth.

"Shit…" Syaoran choked out as his head flailed back and forth trying to keep himself quiet. As time passed it had become more difficult as the mouth on him made him quiver. "G-Gods and ancestors..." the words were drawn out and heady, the red on his face growing as did his writhing. His mouth was hanging open now, unashamedly breathing heavily against the actions. Syaoran's length throbbed in the magician's mouth, his hips trying not to thrust upward though that went nowhere fast as he bucked into Eriol's mouth, trembling at the feel of himself sliding in and out of that hot wet orifice.

Feeling the pressure of Syaoran's hips beneath him, Eriol gripped the boy's hips, pushing him back into the mattress. He then pulled himself away, a smile dangling on his lips, shaking his head in amusement. "Is it that good, Syaoran-kun?" He leaned his body forward so the two of them were face to face. His hand stayed on the brunette's erection, giving it the occasional gentle stroke. Although he would never openly admit it, especially not to Syaoran, the boys struggling and whimpers were something he found incredibly arousing. But, as always, he remained calm and collected.

There was a shake of his head, but the look on his face and the squirming of his body said otherwise as his blush darkened. "I-I uhn...p-please..." What he was saying please for he didn't know, but he didn't intend for that to come out. His back arched, rubbing itself against the one looming over him, his eyes slowly opening to peer from under half lids at Eriol, brows dipping as lips parted to speak again but all that came out were breathy pants and mews.

"Mmhmm. Alright then." Eriol added in mocking sarcasm, before pausing to remove his glasses and setting them on the side table. Finishing his previous task he, once again moved back, trailing kisses down Syaoran's stomach and pulling at the black sash that still held most of the robe in place. He untied it, pulling the robe the rest of the way apart, before curling his fingers around the silken waist band of the boy's pants. Looking up once again, he felt the heat grow. "Ready?" The he cared not about the answer and slowly, in a tortuous manner, pulled at the hem of the garment.

Syaoran blinked, staring up at the other, his eyes not seeming to be able to peel themselves away from the mage's face. Seeing Eriol without his glasses on had an interesting effect on him as the sight had his face darkening. "H-Hiiragizawa..." he trailed off and swallowed, starting to wriggle, little whimpers being emitted as he tried to stop Eriol from undressing him. At the same time, though, the deep dark side of him wanted the bespectacled male to do more to him.

Eriol raised an eyebrow at the sound of his name again, feeling the heat grow stronger this time, 

accompanied with an uncomfortable tightness. The mage sighed, standing from the bed, and disrobing quietly.

Amber hues rounded as he had watched the other teen undress, his face growing hot. The sight was almost too much and he swallowed once more and shifted uncomfortably

Eriol, ignoring Syaorans obvious shifting and attempts to hide his arousal, held out a hand, whispering an incantation as he summoned a personal item from his room. Looking back upon the flustered young warrior he chuckled. "Is it _that_ bad?" He returned to his position on the bed, removing the cap of the glass bottle. It had no label, and the design looked handcrafted. In truth, he himself had made it, along with the contents inside.

"...W-What is that?" Syaoran asked in a meek voice, chewing his lower lip in nervousness as he wasn't sure what the bottle was for, but he had a feeling he didn't want to find out.

The mage found himself smiling once again at the innocent question. He poured a bit on his right hand before answering. "This is something I made, personally. It heightens pleasure and sensitivity and is used..." He placed the slippery digits against the brunette's entrance, probing but not entering. "…to make sex easier." He then rubbed in the spot, repeatedly in circles, pressing lightly but nothing more.

"What?!" the brunette yelped, feeling those fingers teasing him, though it was more than a simple touch to him. It felt more like a spreading warmth that had his body writhing on the bed, wrists wringing in their silky confines trying to break free. Syaoran closed his legs then and made a choked sound, stubbornness masking his wanton features as he acted out as the rebellious virgin that he was. His eyes slammed shut and he turned his head to one side after a moment in hopes of ridding the oddly pleasant sensations from his mind and body as well as the oddly attractive visage of his mentor.

Sapphire eyes danced with excitement at the vehement struggling of his pupil. Even where most would have been annoyed or deterred by the shyness and rebellion, Eriol only felt more lust. He _needed_ to do something about those legs, though. Another whisper in a foreign language and silken ties were wrapped firmly around the boy's ankles, tying them to the other end of the bed, though, not so tight that he couldn't still raise the boy's legs if the need arose.

Syaoran felt frustration mount as his legs were bound, before trying to test the limits of his new situation. He lifted his legs to try and close them again only to find they were too far-spread to be able to do so and let out a whiny sigh.

Smiling a little at the sight before him, though pretending to ignore it at the same time, Eriol poured more of the magical substance on his hand and went back to preparing the boy for what was to come, beginning by inserting a single digit and moving it around in a slow, circular pattern.

Syaoran's body reacted to being invaded exactly how the mage had figured: by clenching down around the invading finger, his lower half moving around as the weird sensation got to him, it 

showing in his confused expression. "Hah...d-don't...aughn...uhn..." his pants became heavier as he pleaded, his back curving whilst his head tilted back and his eyes closed, fighting back the aroused sounds that still escaped despite his best efforts.

"Feels odd, doesn't it? An odd sensation, and yet you still can't help but notice how sensitive everything is." He slipped in another finger, and began scissoring them to stretch the virgin muscle. "Do you know why that is?" His digits were being buried up the knuckle. "This area has one of the highest concentrations of nerve endings in the entire body." He hooked his fore and middle finger, diving them in and out. "So, coupled with this oil, you should be feeling quite pleased right now." He slipped and third finger in, although this time let up a little, being more gentle in his actions, as his free hand roamed to catch Syaoran's chin. "And yet your expression looks pained. Are you hiding how good it feels?"

"A-Ah g-gods..." was the response, formed in gasp, as the boy was torn between wanting to pull away and push down on those digits, his inner walls tightening more causing the pleasure to heighten. His eyes were glazed now as they locked with those of the magician, rapture pooling within them though his face showed forced dislike that was starting to crack. He licked his drying lips and took in deep breaths, not giving an answer for his mind was fogging over, making it difficult for him to think coherently.

Eriol shook his head, pretending to be put off by the lack of answers, but in actuality, he didn't mind. Things were progressing how he liked, now that he was setting the pace. It was when Syaoran had been running from him, denying everything and then taking off only to fondle himself with thoughts that had made the mage irritated. Things needed to _move_ or the two of them would be stuck in limbo forever, slaves to a sense of duty, and he would be the first to admit he wasn't as patient as Sakura was. He removed his digits completely, taking the oil into his hands once again and applying it on his shaft. It was during these actions that a thought crossed his mind. Gripping the boy's chin, once again, he leaned forward, so that their breath mingled. "Would you like me to kiss you? Would you like to share this one intimacy with me, Syaoran-kun?"

An almost disappointed mewl came from the brunette when those fingers left him, he feeling suddenly empty inside and incomplete. His body wanted satisfaction so much so that he could feel frustration permeate through him, albeit he fought it back while he continued to gape up at Eriol. Try as he may, there was no denying his wants and needs now. His pride was still in tact, but his control was breaking and there was a moment of weakness as he took in a sharp breath and close his eyes tightly. "...Y-Yes." His reply was barely a whisper and he felt ashamed to have answered but there was something about wanting to taste his ancestor's lips that he couldn't push out of his mind.

Eriol resisted another wide smile and instead leaned in a fraction more, so that their lips barely touched. It that space, he hovered for what might have been an eternity, hoping to elicit desperation from Syaoran, before finally closing the distance. The boy tasted rough, he noticed as his tongue pushed past the brunette's barrier and stroked the other's expertly. He was like sandpaper and spice, nothing sweet or soft, but all hard edges begging to be softened; a shell, waiting to be cracked open. Against his own will, Eriol's lips curved into an impossible smile.  


He almost thought that the other youth was just going to tease him and leave him wanting it, but was surprised to find lips pressed to his own after a moment's hesitation. Of the things he _could_ do right, kissing was one of the few, at least from what Sakura told him and he showed it by kissing back with ardor, luring Eriol's tongue into his mouth to suckle and nip while a low moan caught in his throat. As that happened he rose his body to rub it against the one on top of him, a

thigh doing the same to Eriol's side. Unbeknownst to the stubborn boy, his form was acting of its own will whilst his mind was caught up in other things.

As Eriol pulled away he looked into the boy's eyes with a hooded gaze, the first he had experienced in what seemed an eternity. Licking his lips in anticipation, he pulled away, returned to his previous task of preparation, which was almost complete. He gripped Syaoran's thighs with both hands and for the first time since they began, showed genuine concern. "Ready?"

Syaoran was breathless, his lips being moist from the link they'd shared. The apprehension that had settled in was becoming heavier as the weight of the question settled in. The uncertainty was evident on Syaoran's face as he gave his Eriol a unsure glance seeing as before this moment he'd never done anything intimate with another person. Hell, not even Sakura had gone this far with him and now here he was about to share his first experience with Eriol. Needless to say he was more than a little hesitant. "I-I..." He didn't trust himself with words and merely closed his eyes again, giving a very faint nod as he knew there was no getting out of this and prepared himself for what he fathomed was going to happen next.

Eriol felt a tension ease in his chest using the nod as a flimsy excuse that Syaoran wanted him in return. It was a lie, and a badly constructed one, but Eriol knew all about lies and didn't mind them, even when they were addressed to himself. He pressed the head of his shaft against the boy's entrance, looking up one last time, before pushing himself just in. Easing back, and resisting the urge to push all the way at once, he leaned toward Syaoran's face, nesting just by his ear. "It hurts at first, but it's more of a discomfort. It will fade."

Syaoran dug his nails into his palms, his body tensing at the first initial penetration. However, he forced himself to relax as well as he could, but Eriol was right. It hurt but not in the same way normal pain came to mind. It was more of a thick, dull throb than anything else, but that didn't alter the fact it was still highly uncomfortable. His eyes tightened as those threatening tears started to roll, his jaw clenching while he let his head fall to one side, taking in deep breaths.

Eriol craned his neck, kissing one of the tears before it finished its journey down the brunette's cheek. Arching his back and began a slow steady rhythm, pulling himself almost completely out before moving all the way back in. Slow, deliberate strokes that would ease his partner into the pattern. Soon, though, his pace increased, as he hit deeper and deeper, seeking to elicit pleasurable gasps that would send him over the edge. It was all well and good that Syaoran was writhing and trying to hide his pleasure, but now the mage wanted to hear his name called again in wanton ecstasy.

Amber orbs opened themselves enough to look at the taller boy as he was thrust into, his body 

having tightened at first, which made it uncomfortable until he started to relax more and made it easier for Eriol to move inside him. To this the older male received sharp gasps and pitched moans as a reward for his patience. He couldn't help the movement underneath Eriol now as the dull pain faded and the motions became more enjoyable. Soon his body was moving against the one pounding into him, his dampened bangs bouncing against his forehead as the moans grew in height and frequency until the rapture caused his last thread of self-control snap. "E-Eriol...L-Let

me go..." he called out mindlessly as he tugged his restraints yet again, though it was for different reasons this time around. His eyes were glazed over with passion, it having replaced his rebellious gleam as he moved himself to meet the mage's thrusts, their gaze remaining locked onto Eriol.

Eriol smiled once more, having gained a victory of Syaoran's stubborn nature, and pulled a hand across in a sweeping motion and muttering the same incantation as before. The bonds vanished, leaving no trace that they were there at all. He redoubled his thrusts, moving faster and faster as his heart sped up in time. He would hold back, would wait for Syaoran to catch up, which was why he realigned himself so that he would hit that sweet spot that he knew would make the boy cry out.

When Syaoran felt his wrists were released the first thing he did was wrap his arms around Eriol's neck and pull him into a passionate kiss, both thighs now squeezing the bespectacled one's sides in hopes of making the act more ecstatic. Nails raked over pale skin when he felt those thrust become harder, there being a second before his head was flying back, screaming out the mage's name shamelessly. "Eriol! Ahh...m-more..." he pleaded between heavy pants and cries of rapture, the grip he had on his shoulder-blades tightening whilst his back arched towards the male on top of him, both legs having wrapped around his waist to pull him closer.

Eriol felt the tight heat of everything encasing him completely, so much so that he thought he might drown in it. There was so much sweat and feeling, passion and friction that he knew even _he_ wouldn't last much longer. With as much calmness as he could manage, he spoke. "Syaoran-kun, I want you to come for me." He said it in a low command, uttered in the boy's ear in a voice that would send shivers down even the bravest of men's spines. He also shifted their bodies once more, plunging down against the spot even harder, bringing them both closer to the edge.

The building climax could be felt with each thrust they met, having been putting off its growth for a few minutes, though Syaoran knew he couldn't hold it off for long either. One arm slid around to stroke Eriol's face, pulling him closer as their lips met briefly, once more, panting against the other's when they parted. It was between his length rubbing against their bodies and the relentlessly odd feeling that the mage was giving him that had him losing himself. It became so much so that the tears he'd been trying to stop came down more than before, though his eyes never left the face of the taller male. "Eriol...ungh...Eriol!" he cried out as his held onto said male in a compelling grasp when his orgasm hit him hard, causing white to splash between them in thick rivulets, coating their stomachs as well as their thighs from it sliding down their skin. Because of this his body tightened around the shaft inside him, desiring to milk the teen as well while he lay there, chest heaving almost painfully and his body slick with sweat.

Feeling the tightness close in all around him like a vice grip, finally send Eriol over the edge. It 

had not been the calling of his name, or the writhing of the lean body beneath him. It had been the climax, the apex of their journey, reaching their destination before falling over the other side. And, being that Eriol hadn't done such in a long time, he too felt out of breath, though not so much as Syaoran must have felt. Carefully, he removed himself, still panting as the sweat dripped from his brow. Without a word he moved to the side laying on his back. There was...nothing to say.

Syaoran felt himself trembling from the emptiness and the cold, but he didn't speak of it and rolled onto his side before propping himself with one hand. A look was passed over his shoulder at the other male, opening his mouth to speak, but merely sighed and stared at the floor for a few minutes debating what he should do now that it was over while he wiped his eyes of the lingering tears in them. He couldn't shake his mind of their lingering thoughts. He had just given himself and his virginity to…_Eriol…_

The mage had taken time to notice the silence when it stretched from the realm of awkward and into uncomfortable. Turning his head slightly, he registered the slouching outline of the boy he had just taken. "Syaoran-kun...Is there something on your mind that you're too stubborn to say?" It sounded nonchalant, as though Eriol was beyond the realm of caring how the stubborn brunette did things. He himself was satisfied, and felt no tenseness in the situation. Placing and arm over his forehead, he sighed. "Do you want me to leave?"

Perhaps he _had_ jumped the gun. And by perhaps that was a definite 'yet' wrapped in the lie of the word 'perhaps'.

"Do whatever you want..." Syaoran muttered as he stood and half glared at him. "You got what you wanted, didn't you?" the confused male stated with a tone of hurt in his voice as he made his way to the bathroom slowly, slamming the door behind him before he shed the robe and got into the shower. He wanted nothing more than to wash away the uneasiness and the feeling that pervaded: the feeling that he had been used.

The scene unfolded like what one might consider a nightmare of a situation. To Syaoran, Eriol was cruel and unfair for making him be honest with his feelings and then not consoling him or wooing him like a gentle master might. But, Eriol wasn't the type and never would be. _And, _he thought. _If he wants to be strong he better get used to not having soft, pliant arms ready to hold him any time he scrapes his knee._ Still, he couldn't shake a strange feeling from his shoulders that echoed. He could have sworn it felt like guilt, but he pushed it down, kneeling to put his clothes back on. "Clow really was foolish with his sentiments. You can't get anything done like that."

**Ending Note: **Their feelings and inhibitions might be a bit hard to understand at the moment, but it will become illuminated with time. Fear not.

**Final notes:** Nothing left to say except: Syaoran makes the cutest faces. :3

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


	6. Broken

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing, angst, blood (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

Well, I hope someone out there is reading this…haha. This is my favorite chapter so far and my roomie and I really enjoyed writing it. School is being so mean to me…but I'll survive.

**Points of interest:**

_thoughts_

"speaking"

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

If I owned CCS it would be full of gore and swearing.

**Chapter 6 - Broken**

The previous night's events had Syaoran visibly shaken when he woke up. He stayed buried in the sheets, hoping to avoid Eriol for the rest of the day, despite knowing this was impossible. He did, however, do his best to stay away for as long as possible. Breakfast was served in bed courtesy of Nakuru who, for once, didn't come bursting into the room full of her usual pep. To this he was thankful and was even a bit more cordial than usual to her for her consideration. During his meal his thoughts began to drift over the night before, but the tell tale blush made him refuse. He felt a little sick but still avoided thinking of why that might be.

It was after that, that he dressed in a simple pair of dark denim jeans and a black tank top with a dark blue button down over it and headed out to clear his mind. Syaoran spent a majority of the morning just walking around the estate, sometimes going outside to catch a breath of fresh air, before coming back inside. He felt so out of place, like a foreign decoration in a royal estate, and the only place that still brought him comfort was the music room. He entered, closing the door behind him prior to walking over to the piano and taking a seat.

He played the lullaby for a few minutes when he heard the flipping of a page during a pause and looked up to see Spinel reading a book, perched in the window seat. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were in here..." The brunette apologized, standing to leave, but the sound of the book closing made him stop.

"It's fine Li-sama. I simply came in here to get away from Nakuru. Your music wasn't...too bad." Spinel pointed out as he looked up at the boy who took a seat next to him.

Syaoran sat back down, plunking at the keys awkwardly, though he couldn't help but feel as though he was now being watched by the guardian. The silence grew between them when he finally gave in and cleared his throat. "Spinel...Can I talk to you about something? Just between us?"

"What of?"

"About Hiiragizawa."

There was another long silence between the two when the black cat spoke again. "I suppose. What did you want to talk about concerning him?"

Hesitance came from the Chinese male as he mulled over what he wanted to say then looked down at his lap. "I'm so confused about him. I mean…I…It's not that I love him…" The word 'love' felt strange when Syaoran said it in reference to the mage. "I think I'm attracted him to him in some…" he sighed. "I know I'm attracted to him, dangerously so. In fact he uses it against me, or so it seems. And, when he's not using that against me he's judging me without any direct approval." Syaoran fidgeted. "Not, that that sort of thing ever mattered to me before…It's just-"

"I understand. To be frank, you wouldn't be the first person to feel strangely attracted to him. Honestly, it happens all the time. He has that aura. And, as for seeking his approval, it's natural for a student to seek that of someone they admire."

"But I don't admire him." Syaoran wasn't sure who he was trying to convince. "And, why does he have to be so cold? He was never that way around Sakura."

The feline shrugged, his tail twitching. "Eriol has always been that kind of person. He is not one to show his emotions, especially to those he doesn't trust completely. He was probably soft on Sakura because he knew she couldn't take it. I suppose he thinks you can."

Syaoran glanced up from the piano. "He was being _soft_?" He remembered all the trials Sakura had been put through at her young and inexperienced age.

"Yes, Li-san. That was Eriol-sama being soft. I know it doesn't seem like it, but he _is _a caring being with heartfelt thoughts."

"But that's just it. Sometimes I wonder if he even feels emotions like normal people do. He said he gave a lot of them to Fujitaka-san, claiming it was to free himself of guilt. Sometimes I wish he _was_ more like Clow...maybe then he's be less…

"Careless with other people's feelings?"

"Yea."

"He's an all powerful mage, Li-san. It's a little unfair of you to so upset by his brusque behavior."

Syaoran felt himself bristle. "What do you mean?"

"Only that it is rude to expect a teacher such as Eriol to bend to the will of the student."

"Still, he doesn't have to pick at me every second. I grew up with hard training, and my masters broke me and built me up again."

"Physically."

"Exactly. So why does Eriol-"

"He's attacking you mentally, Li-san. That's your weakness. Your body is strong and can be beaten until on a shred remains, but your mind is rather weak and susceptible." The guardian allowed his eyes to loft to the ceiling. "Most likely due to a severe lack of mental training since Eriol left Japan."

Syaoran bunched his jeans in his hands. "I still don't understand why that's so important. If I can strike an enemy and kill it then that's fine. And, if your right, then why would he still give up those emotions?" He sounded frustrated. "Why make himself so cold and unfeeling?"

"He may have given up the many of his emotions and feelings, but he still has them Li-san. It's...difficult to explain, he's a very enigmatic and secretive person." Spinel explained only to receive and exasperated sigh from the human.

"I know that! But he could at least _try_ to act a little more human. It gets to the point where I don't think he has a heart or a soul in that body of his. And what am I _really_ to him? Am I just a tool? A...A plaything? No one has bothered to tell me why I'm here exactly." He held up his hand when Spinel began to speak. "Don't feed me that bull shit. I know I'm not just here to train."

"Sometimes one must make sacrifices Li-sama. Eriol sacrificed his feelings because helping Sakura the way he had back in Tomoeda had nearly killed him. Making her think her friends were hurt, missing, sick or putting her in danger where she thought she might die, all the save the magic of Clow from dying. He told me that he never wanted to feel that again. It had been too hard. In fact, he almost didn't go through with the final test, knowing that if she failed she would suffer." Spinal shifted his legs. "Of course, everything went according to Clow's plan." He said it almost with an exasperated sigh.

Syaoran shook his head and stood up, wrapping his arms around himself. "I think he's a fucking idiot. Without emotions one can't live or truly call themselves human. A mother would not care for her child, a man wouldn't go to work everyday, the world would cease to exist without feelings because the world rides on those emotions. Without them we would all die. I know he thinks I'm weak because I go with my heart and not my head, though he would call it impulsive thinking, but I have such things as compassion and pain. It's how I know that I'm human...how I know I'm alive. I'm not asking him to praise me or even shower me in adoration. I just want to know that there's more there and that I'm not just being led on a leash."

The guardian shook his head, his ears flopping a little. "Li-san, in a sense you _are_ being led on a leash…it's just Eriol-sama's nature. It's also…" He paused, shaking his head once gain, as though he wished to say more, but was unable. "Why haven't you told Eriol these things? He may understand and might be able to tell you more than I can." Spinel glanced up only to widen his eyes, mildly amused at the glare he was receiving in return.

"He would just smile and tell me it's all in my head and that I need to learn to control my emotions. He wouldn't care, he'd brush it off like he does everything else. He doesn't give a shit how I feel, what I feel, or what _I_ want. No one cares about what I want it's always about what _they_ want. Can't I...just once...have what _I_ want?" Syaoran was no longer sure what he was complaining about, thinking now that he was just reciting as much as he could before the feelings of discontent could leave him.

"What _do_ you want Li-sama?"

"Honestly?" The brunette stared at the piano keys. "I don't even know at this point. I just wish he wouldn't use me like I'm some _thing_ he can throw away when he's done. I get it, alright? I get that he doesn't love me, but he finds me attractive and uses my childish crush on him against me. Fine, but he'll never know how empty it feels…I just...want to go home. I want to go back to Sakura – to someone who shows their affection and doesn't take my emotions for granted."

The creature tilted his head before floating up to sit on the teen's shoulder, looking at him with an almost sympathetic look. "I don't understand the prospect of love or affection, Li-sama, but I'm sure you'll make it through this. Whether Eriol is using you to fuel his own needs or if he has other motives behind his behavior is something only he knows at this point. You just have to be strong and show him that you are learning. If he wants you to clear your mind of useless emotions, do so. If he wants you to learn to control your thoughts and feelings, teach yourself. In time, you may just gain the wisdom to understand why he is the way he is.

Finally, Syaoran nodded, grateful, before standing up and scratching the guardian behind his ears. "Thank you for listening Spinel. I know you normally like to avoid trouble.

"It's fine. I suppose I can lend an ear from time to time, just don't make it a big habit. I'm not your therapist." With that, Spinel gave a lick to Syaoran's hand and watched as the boy reached for a book from one of the shelves.

Settling himself in the corner by the fireplace, Syaoran curled up in a large comfy chair and started to read. He drifted off after some time, the book remaining open on his chest whilst he cradled his head in his arm, his knees being tucked up towards his chest from the position he was sitting while his head was tilted off to one side.

His sleep was peaceful, though it wouldn't have been had he known what was going on in the other end of the house.

Eriol wasn't angry, because most things didn't make him angry. Quite the contrary, he was rather amused. Standing in the observatory on the fourth floor of the large home, his hands waving in sweeping circles as crystalline shapes formed around him, he mused quietly. He had chosen to ignore any and all conversations Syaoran might have been having, although it was difficult to do, what with knowing there was discussion going on and doing everything in his power to hold back curiosity. In his heart he felt it would have been something he didn't want to hear. He sighed, lowering his arms as a perfect orb of glass formed in front of him. Taking it in his hand he twisted his mouth in contemplation before throwing it to the ground, the pieces shattering into dust. It was never enough, never.

He thought back to the past to when he and Kaho had shared a relationship. She reminded him of the sorceress in Hong Kong whom Clow had imprisoned in her own world for her crimes. Perhaps, that was the reason he found himself attracted to her. No, Clow had chosen Kaho to carry the bell, to ensure that no matter her mistakes, Sakura would defeat Yue and become the card's mistress. It was all apart of that ancient mage's plan. And now, it all boiled down to Sakura and Syaoran and their future together. That was what that woman said; the one in the dusty shop filled with trash that she vehemently defended as treasure. It all boiled down to Sakura and Syaoran's decision to be together. As the crystals formed in the air again he felt a strange feeling of jealousy pervade.

It wasn't really fair. Sakura and Syaoran; it was like they were two halves of a whole fitting so smoothly together that it almost felt _created_. Clow had meddled, even after death, in the lives of others. The old mage's original excuse for dying was that he wanted to free Yue from being dependent on him, but in the end, that was even a lie.

Lying. _That_ was something he had inherited from Clow. Something he used to his advantage without an ounce of pride. Kaho herself had admitted she had only been seduced by Clow's power and with nothing left to do in his service there was no spark.

The crystals refused to meld together as discontent grew throughout the room. Eriol felt his hands flex in frustration. In the end, he was only a reincarnation. The second coming of someone who's memories still followed him like a persistent shadow. Perhaps that was why he liked Sakura and Syaoran so much. They never considered him Clow. To them, he was Eriol-kun. Sakura, out of love and simple air-headed nature had never made the connection and Syaoran...Syaoran refused to believe his ancestor could be so irritating. Perhaps, that was why Eriol liked him so much; because he didn't throw himself at his feet, worshiping every step.

He sighed.

What _was_ he doing? Never mind. It wasn't important anymore. What was important was that he had forgotten his appointment with the woman who shared Clow's plans. Stepping over to a mirror in the corner of the room he uttered a spell. Her visage appeared, although she seemed slightly upset. Before her, in two glass vessels, sat one white and one black creature, sleeping, awaiting their purpose. Awaiting the purpose that Clow intended. The woman turned, irritation dancing across her features.

"What is it?" She took her long black hair into her hands, pulling it up into a tall ponytail.

"_You_ were the one expecting _me,_" he stated calmly.

"And?" Her expression did not change.

"How are the plans? Are things still aligned?"

"The moon is on its due course and Mars is following its predicted path." Her answer was bitter, spat out as though required.

He felt a saddened expression form. "Well, things are still alright here."

The last statement made her pause her fussing. "_Alright_? Since when has Clow ever said 'Alright'?" Her mouth twisted in bewilderment.

"I suppose he doesn't."

She stared, no irritation or anger; not even a hint of frustration. "Hiiragizawa," It was the first time she had ever called him by _his_ name and not Clow's. "Sort out whatever it is that's bothering you before this future comes to be the present."

Staring absentmindedly, Eriol cleared his throat for one final question. "What are the consequences of this not coming to pass?"

"Grave."

"Even for us? For those of us in this world?"

"No."

His face was contemplative.

"I trust you not to be as selfish as your namesake." The image faded, leaving Eriol alone, once again.

"Arguing with that woman again?" Spinel mumbled as he came into the observatory looking slightly agitated. "Nakuru is insisting we go out on the town tonight. She says the aura in here is becoming so thick it's suffocating her and she needs some fresh air, but doesn't want to go alone." He paused as he perched himself on Eriol's shoulder, tilting his head with an inquisitive look. "That boy...I'm concerned about him. Don't lure him down a path he can't follow Eriol. I fear he may not be ready for these trials. Remember he's still just a child." he alleged, his tail flicking impatiently.

"Perhaps he _is_ a child, but he is being thrown into a destiny he must be ready for. Fairness will often turn a blind eye, when convenient." Eriol reached a hand back to pat the guardian on his head.

"I understand _your_ methods, or rather, I try, but I don't think Li-san ever will. He's just going to end up..."

"I told you earlier, that I was fine with that as long as it ends with the plan succeeding."

The cat heaved and shook his head staring upward. "Either way, Nakuru is insistent on leaving, and you know what happens when she doesn't get her way." With that, Spinel left his master's shoulder, only pausing briefly in mid-air to glance over his shoulder. "He's in the library sleeping by the way...I think it should be you who wakes him as he's calmed down enough to approach. You must have done something upset him." Then, he was gone, leaving the mage once more in his solitude.

Eriol's expression did not change at all during the guardian's berating and, that was what it had been. Spinel, _his_ creation, was chiding him for his action. He sighed deeply, placing a hand to his temple. "Calm enough to approach. As though he were some scared rabbit, cornered by a fox." He turned, descending the spiral staircase that connected the tower with the rest of the house. Entering the music room, he glanced around before his eyes settled on the grand piano that had seen more life in the last week than it had in years. It was to his left that he caught a sight he had not expected, despite being warned.

Syaoran was curled up into a large recliner, far too big to fit his frame, a book nestled in his lap. The mage immediately felt his hardened gaze soften as he glided to the chair.

A hand reached out, brushing tussled bangs from the boy's face. Even in sleep his eyebrows furrowed, deep set in concentration. Eriol leaned down, placing lips on the brunette's forehead, hoping to ease whatever feelings might be causing the stressed expression. Still pressed, he whispered. "I _am_ cruel, aren't I? Cruel for wanting something I cannot have."

There was a shift from the teenager, a brow twitching from the touch to his forehead. His thoughts had been clouded by all that had occurred from the time he arrived in England up to this point and he couldn't hide it very well, especially when slumbering. Sleep left him, however, when he sensed Eriol's aura, amber hues slowly revealing themselves to stare blankly at the magician. They instantly hardened, though only for a second, before softening as he didn't think he could muster the energy to put on a front for the mage and sighed, removing himself from the chair to stretch. "What do you want Hiiragizawa?" He asked in a rather repressed tone, not meeting his gaze.

Eriol remained staring at the now empty chair, his expression, once again, unchanging. "Yesterday, you lied to me, Syaoran-kun. You told me you didn't hate me, and yet, here you are, giving me the cold shoulder." He allowed a pained chuckle to escape. "It is though I have done something that has turned this whole house against me. Really, am I so bad that you must judge me as an emotionless husk that preys on the weak?" He felt the burning eyes of Syaoran on him, and only then, did he turn to face the boy, a smile spreading across his face.

"Just because I am treating you that way doesn't mean I hate you. Please, don't twist my words." His voice seemed to negate the polite word. "You have yet to prove to me that still possess enough emotion to be considered human. Until then, yes, I'm going to consider you an emotionless husk, as you so aptly called yourself. I find it rather sad that I have found more compassion in your creations that in your cold exterior." he added, scowling at the smile playing on the mage's face. "Don't give me that."

"Give you what?" Eriol answered in an irritatingly innocent manner.

"Why can't you take one moment..._one_ and just stop doing whatever it is that you do, and think about what how what your doing might be hurting other people." Syaoran regretted sounding like he was whining, as though they were having a lover's quarrel. "Then I might not consider you to be heartless."

Eriol's smile faded into a thoughtful expression. "Heartless...Hmm. Interesting theory, there, Syaoran-kun. Although, I noticed that you also have a bit of a problem keeping a lid on your own emotions. Who are you to judge?" Throughout this, his tone remained only contemplative. There was not hint of anger in his speech, which, in and of itself, only seemed to empower the brunette's argument. "Do I lack emotions, or do I have ulterior motives? Have you bothered asking me this? Have you questioned, truly, if I had a reason for keeping things from you? And, I don't mean questioned me, because, you already know I wouldn't answer. I mean, questioned yourself." He sighed. "Besides, I only asked for you to come here and train. You're the one who insisted on trying to understand me."

As predicted his lack of tone infuriated the boy, his glare increasing. "Will you just quit it, already? I get it, okay? You're some kind of powerful, all knowing mage that could kill me by snapping your fingers. You're all powerful and wise and know more than anyone, including me, a dumb teenage! I get it!" Syaoran felt his hands ball into fists, squeezing tightly enough to cause pain.

Eriol felt himself sadden as he reached out his hand, cupping the boy's cheek. "Did I hurt you that much?"

The brunette felt himself reel away from the touch, his glare never leaving Eriol's face. "Will you stop with the mind games and fucking listen to me for once? Just listen to me! Stop twisting everything and reveling in my confusion! I want to understand you because…" he felt his gaze drift uncertainly. "Well, why shouldn't I understand you, master?" The final word was added bitterly before he continued. Why is it that you derive so much enjoyment out of my suffering?! You're like the kid on the playground, torturing ants with a magnifying glass!" Syaoran screamed, grabbing Eriol by the collar of his outfit and jerking him forward. "Why is it that you can never seem to give me a straight answer on anything that I need to know?"

"What makes you think you need to know?" Eriol allowed the maddening grin to return.

Syaoran felt his teeth grind in frustration, his anger mounting. "Fine. Be that way, you bastard." He straightened himself and pushed forward, past the mage, opening the door to exit. Before leaving he turned with one last comment. "If you keep it up, you're bound to die alone." He spat it out, though quietly, as though he wished to utter it without Eriol hear, before running down the hallway his room and bumping into Nakuru on the way.

The guardian took a moment to recover her balance before turning on her heels and staring after the boy. "Hey, hey, Li-sama! Get ready we're all going out!"

"I don't want to..." He had stopped just short of entering the now open door of the one place, beside the music room where he found solace.

"Well you're going to whether you like it or not! We need to get out of the stuffy old house so go get ready!" She exclaimed.

He turned, ready the yell at her, but changed his mind, deciding that taking his anger out on someone who hadn't wronged him wouldn't be a good idea. "Fine, fine. I'll go get ready."

Nakuru smiled widely. "Okay!" Her footsteps seemed to echo throughout the old house as she ran down to the music room where Eriol was still waiting. "Eriol-sama, come on while it's still early! I don't want it to be dark when we go out!"

Eriol stared blankly at the space where Syaoran _had_ been standing moments before. His senses told him that Nakuru had made good on her threat and was now trying to get all of them out of the house, but, Eriol _never_ left an argument unfinished. When the guardian bounded into the room he remained facing away from her. "Go without me. Take Spinel if you must, but don't wait up for Syaoran." His voice was straight, calm, but still enough to make an average man balk, especially if he knew the magician personally.

Nakuru, for once, paused in her frantic actions and stood perfectly still. "A-are you sure?" She fiddled with her hands, nervous before her creator.

"I'm sure Nakuru. He and I have something to discuss."

An intake of breath was heard amidst the silent din. "M-master..."

"Hmm?"

"Don't hurt him."

To this, the mage said nothing. He waited as the two guardians exited the building, ignoring Spinel's questions as to why Nakuru had gone pale and instead focused on finding Syaoran. The boy was currently leaving his room and entering the hallway. To this, Eriol responded by shutting all the doors, sealing the hallways and making it impossible for the boy to continue to avoid the argument.

The mage made one last passing glance at the piano before materializing into the hallway. "We're not done."

"There's nothing left I have to say to you right now. You won't listen to me anyways, so what is the point in wasting my breath trying to explain anything to you?" He said in a flat tone, arms being crossed over his chest, his stance impatient and his face a thoughtful glare.

Eriol sighed, in a way that sounded regretful. "When I say we're not done, we're not done. Frankly, I don't care if you don't want to finish. I don't care if you stomp your feet and throw a tantrum like some five-year-old." He closed the distance between them, fast enough to be mistaken as smoke itself. Grabbing the brunette by the chin and pulling his face toward his own. "I **want** to finish this. **Now**." His face remained calm but his tone was slipping as the irritation grew. Through it all, he mentally cursed Clow.

Syaoran's eyes narrowed as he glared up at the mage, not breaking contact nor his stance, though it became more guarded until he forcefully jerked out of the grasp and took a step back. "I'm not putting up with your bullshit, Hiiragizawa. You may be master of this house and a powerful mage, but I'm still my own person. I'm not some creation that you can boss around and control. We have _nothing_ to talk about, at least nothing I would talk to _you_ about. Go on playing your stupid games, but I don't want to be any part of it." He snapped before shuffling past him. Even though he knew he couldn't leave, he could at least get away from the source of his frustration.

The mage felt his hands flex as anger seethed through him. He was torn, unsure of where to go. There were things that Syaoran couldn't know, but these were what he demanded. _Emotionless husk_. The phrase dangled in the air before Eriol reached behind him, gripping the arm of the stubborn boy that seemed to want to pry open his teacher's shell with a crowbar. His grip assured, he pulled forward, taking Syaoran with him until there was a sickening crack against the wall.

Eriol did not flinch. He had felt, and was destined to feel, much worse than this. The boy would survive.

A hand reached out, wrapping around Syaoran's pliable throat. "May I ask you something?" His voice and face, however, remained stoic. "Where do you think you get off, telling me that I need something, when you yourself are just a weak child, unable to stand up to his own mother?" The words bit into him even as he said them, knowing he was being unfair, but no longer caring. "Who do you think you are, telling me I am not your master, or even declaring so in a mocking tone, when you clearly are my pupil and, even _if_ you didn't ask to come here, you wanted to be stronger. You were just too much of a petulant child to ask someone you knew could help you. And, here we are, fighting because you wanted to be held like a woman, when you yourself stated that you needed to become stronger."

There had been a pained gasp when Syaoran felt himself hit the wall and, now, his head swam from having the sense knocked out of him before finding his airway constricted. A hand reached up and grasped Eriol's wrist, the other pushing against his chest in a tight fist. The words stung badly, it showing in his eyes though he looked more than a little pissed off now. "I-I just wanted to be treated l-like a human being...n-not some play thing...m-maybe if you were more honest and c-compliant with me I would understand better...but instead you w-want to be an asshole, keeping your s-secrets instead of trying to help me understand..." he spat back. " M-my feelings are getting in the way right? I-I'll do away with them, just like you." he added as he struggled. "As for being…a child…I don't know what the hell you were expecting…" Syaoran turned away in disgust, as best he could, hating himself for admitting he was a still young. He had prided himself on being mature and here he was, asking for Eriol to treat him like what he was: a fifteen-year-old boy.

With much effort and more boldness than he thought he had, he yanked Eriol's hand from his throat and threw him back, coughing as he felt the other's nails rake the side of his neck, there being angry red lines because of it. "This world can't live without emotions it's the driving force of our existence, without it there would be nothing. Simply because I wanted a little comfort after you took my last shred of innocence doesn't mean I am asking for you to stop time and bend the world to my wishes. I just wanted a reminder that there _is_ something there, in that dark soul of yours that will support me even in my weakest moment. Everything has to be balanced and you know that better than anyone. So if you want to accuse me of being a woman, fine. I don't fucking care. You're just showing me that you aren't someone I can rely on should I need someone to turn to when I _am_ defenseless because there will _be no_ sympathy...there will _be no_ compassion and understanding. It will be a sarcastic comment on why I'm not strong enough to prevent such weakness from showing." he stated as his barriers started to break and the truth came pouring out in gushes. It felt painful, giving in to these things, and understanding fully, just how weak, mentally he really was. _In the end_, Syaoran thought, pained as a single salty tear escaped, _he was right in a way, wasn't he?_

Eriol felt his gaze darken slightly at the statements. "You are so bold as to assume I didn't know a troubled upbringing. You, who thinks you alone bear the weight of the world. You, who refuses to accept help and then sulks when help is not offered freely. You, who would know nothing of what it is like to live in a shadow as large as you might imagine." The tear that streamed down the boy's face elicited no pity, only interest. Eriol leaned forward, his fingers lifting Syaoran's chin ever so slightly. "You're very pretty when you cry."

He said nothing at first and stared in shock and anger before pulling back abruptly, the sound of flesh meeting being heard seconds later. He could feel the sting in his hand and the red mark appear on Eriol's face after he'd slapped him as hard as he could, a look mixed of surprise in himself as well as disdain for the other being evident. The mage's glasses landed, abruptly, on the floor, one lens shattering. After a few moments he lowered his hand and glowered heatedly at the magician, steeling himself to prepare for whatever the other may do in retaliation to his assault. "You're words are as empty as your heart."

Eriol did not flinch, did not even utter a sound as his was struck. The sound of glass breaking only registered mildly in his mind. It was the words that stung. He remained for a moment, staring to the side where his gaze had forcibly been thrust. Turning back, he know saw the anger and hurt that settled on Syaoran's face. Feeling a deep pain he wished he really was as emotionless as the boy often claimed, though none of this guilt appeared on his face. Instead, he once again gripped Syaoran by the chin, encasing his lips around him. Grabbing both wrists he pushed them against the wall, holding them like shackles as he took complete control of the kiss.

Syaoran was unprepared for the mage's actions, finding himself yet again forced into the wall by the much older male. There was some struggling, but he knew he wouldn't be getting away this time and conserved his energy, merely making a small sound as he was so forcibly kissed.

Finally, Eriol pulled away, stepping back as though nothing had happened between them. "I don't blame you for hating me."

Syaoran gaped, looking angry at first but it soon melted to more of a pained expression as he sunk to his knees, burying his face in his palms. "I-Is that your answer to everything?" he asked, hiding the clenching feeling in his chest as he reached out to cling to the mage's robes. "W-Why...why are you _doing_ this to me?!" He just couldn't find the answer as to why, of all people, Eriol chose him to make these advances on and then leave him completely in the dark.

Eriol stared, inside his eyes widening at what he had done. He had lost control, and now there was a mess at his feet_._ It killed him, what he had to do but, for the sake of their plans, he would do it. He refused to be the weak link in the chain, the one that broke everything over something as silly as love and affection. And so, against every protest in his conscious mind, the mage turned his back, kicking the robes free of Syaoran's desperate grip and walked away. His face remained, as it had through the entire fight.

Stoic.

**Ending Note: ** This was tough because Syaoran can be hard to characterize while simultaneously breaking him over your knee.

**Final notes:** Feel free to critique as always.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


	7. The First Gate

**Summary:**

Syaoran must protect Sakura from a dangerous future they will share, but, at his current level he cannot do so properly. The solution? Send him to England for strict study under the ever confusing Eriol. Hopefully this won't end badly, but, judging by the way things are going…it just might.

**Warning tags: **E/Sy, swearing, angst, blood (tags will change with each chapter)

**Author's note:**

Wow, I take a three month break and what do I get? People begging for moar, is what. *ahem* like…uh…how I was in school and writing actual novels and how my roomie's computer crapped itself inside out, delaying further roleplay sessions. Still, I cannot deny that I was being a bit lazy in fixing up this chapter.

Also, I'll be posting an original story on AFF (adultfanfiction) and will be posting a link to that once enough chapters and up and pretty looking. It's yaoi for those curious, and plenty angsty...But first! I gotta write more than four chapters for the damn thing. Alright, enough shameless self-promotion.

Now for the wonderful reviews. I've probably responded to most of these in emails but I'll do it again here, because I'm just _that_ cool.

Priestess Catatonia: I'm pretty sure I thanked you already, but I might as well do it again. You were our first reviewer and even reviewed again, threatening to 'rope people in'! XD Thanks for your continued support for our lonely little fic.

Flowing Distance: Haha, yea Eriol is a bastard. I hope I represent him well in roleplay. He's definitely one of the more complex ones, what with his hidden motives and all that. To Syaoran, he must seem like a colossal jerkoff. Oh well, we can't all read minds.

Lord Youko: Yes, it will be completed, come hell or high water. As for the lemons, yes, more are coming and details will not be spared. I just don't like two people having sex for no reason. PWP isn't much of my thing.

Ninor-san: Yes, angst and lemon seem to go well together. Much like tequila and lemon :3

Kuropie: Thank you and here you go! Update…engage!

Sorrow: Thank you! Yes, chapter six is defiantly one of my favorites. I loved the raw emotion there.

MoonlessRoad: WOAH! NO don't die! Oh God, Oh God! Hold on, I know CPR! Ha ha, yea chapter six seems to be pretty popular. It worries me, because I don't know if the other chapters will live up to it…oh well.

**Disclaimer:** This document is intended for public viewing and is solely for personal enjoyment. It should neither be considered an authoritative source nor an official publication of the creators and their affiliates.

If I owned CCS, I would be sailing on my yacht, right now.

**Chapter 7 – The First Gate**

Eriol sat, not too calmly, in a lounge chair, several books piled high next to him. He had tried forcing his way through several but only grew in anger as each failed to distract him long enough. Eventually, he threw slammed the last of them shut, a disgusted sigh escaping as he thought of what had transpired earlier.

_Congratulations, Eriol. You won. You broke him completely._

"I already said it was necessary for moving ahead, didn't I? Silver cannot be beautiful if it is not thrust into the fire."

_He is a boy, not jewelry—unless, of course, you want to view him that way. That's quite alright. You don't mind._

"I do mind."

_Really?_

Even his own inner voice sounded surprised. He _did_ mind? The cold, heartless Eriol, did, in fact, have feelings?

_What are you going to do now?_

"Do what I planned in the beginning. I will build him up again."

_He hates you._

The mage paused, feeling his chest tighten. "If that's what he wants, then fine. It will teach him not to open his mind so easily. That is his problem. He trusts people far too quickly."

_Those are some fast excuses you pulled out. They must have been in reserve. Are they making you feel better about what you did?_

Instead of answering, the bespectacled male sat in silence, willing all thought away.

Syaoran paced the veranda adjacent to his room, thoughts raging in his skull. It was tiring—all the thinking. He sighed heavily as he stopped and folded his arms on the railing. Nakuru and Spinel were still out, so he had no one to console after the abrupt…attack?...he had received from Eriol. "Bastard truly is heartless...Part of me wishes he would die…or at least feel an ounce of the pain he causes other people." Syaoran muttered to himself, pushing away from the metal bars and taking his leave of the bedroom to enter the music room. He hoped that some of the mage's tomes would ease his mind and at least distract him for a little while before having to face the man again. Something he was far from looking forward to. So with his nose buried in a book he reclined himself on the bench seat by the window, using moonlight and fireplace for lighting.

Sweeping down the staircase, Eriol felt himself slow toward the bottom. He had fled his study, hoping to avoid the voice that taunted him, although, deep down he knew it was fruitless to run from your own head. For his next actions, he was at a loss. He couldn't very well pursue Syaoran and continue their training. Could he? Perhaps if forced...Eriol could very easily force him into training. No. What he wanted to do could not be forced.

Glancing at a tall grandfather clock that marked, not hours and minutes, but days, years and centuries, his brows furrowed in concern. "Never mind if he hates me. We need to get moving." There was an overwhelming sense of dread he had carried recently as one of the twisted hands of the clock approached a dark patch on its face. Not even fate could answer what would happen then.

Eriol did not need to guess where his student was, and immediately headed for the music room, stopping only when he saw the boy, once again, buried in a weathered book.

Syaoran hadn't noticed Eriol's presence right then as he was very enveloped in the book he was reading. The mage felt his stomach clench when the boy shifted uncomfortably and rubbed at the nail marks left on his throat.

"Syaoran…"

The boy's eyes immediately snapped up from the text, darkening considerably. "What?" Short and full of as much anger as Syaoran could manage.

In turn, the mage, said nothing, and instead locked the door to the room and sat at the piano. He began a slow song, rather simple sounding, but deceptively complex. "Make yourself comfortable," he added absentmindedly. He still, was not angry, though it must have seemed that way. Despite knowing they couldn't avoid each other forever, he still didn't trust himself to maintain complete control. He had come close in the hallway, and that had caused the pain he could see in Syaoran's eyes.

There was an obvious sneer from said male as he stopped and glared heatedly at the door, irritation—anger—filling him with a sudden want to snap, and strangle the calm mage. He gritted his teeth, crossing his legs and resuming reading, though the song insisted upon intruding into his thoughts. Finally, he too slammed the text closed and placed it next to him.

The keys played through a mournful song, more slowly than the tempo called for, but, Eriol did not feel up to playing it at its true speed. He sighed as the music filled him, the one thing that could take away all worries, though the eyes boring into him distracted him from the soothing melodies. "Feel free to keep reading." He had no desire to be stared at by the angry brunette that accused him, rather rightly if his conscience had anything to do with it.

There was no verbal response from the Chinese youth as he continued to glower showing no intention of picking up a book so long as the magic-user was present. On the contrary he did exactly what Eriol found unnerving and simply watched him with contempt.

Eriol stopped playing quite suddenly when his statement was ignored by the youth. His mind told him firmly to stay put for now, and that the lesson he planned could wait, but at the same time, his inner voice was telling him to stand up, be a man and apologize. Feeling tempted to clear the air, he turned, inquisitively to his student. Upon seeing the dark eyes pinning him, only one thing leapt to the front of his mind.

Lust.

He swallowed. _No. If he doesn't hate you now, he'll certainly hate you when you do _that_ again._ Eriol stood up from the piano bench and began to approach Syaoran. _But still, there's just something about his rebellious nature that begs to be tamed. _He was steps away now. _You're strong enough to hold him down and take what you want. _Eriol mentally shook away the dangerous thoughts as he closed the space between them.

"We have another lesson today."

He was instantly guarded and tensed when Eriol came towards him, his eyes hollowing further as his brows furrowed and the frown on his face deepened. "....Fine." it was the only word he uttered before standing, moving away from the pale teen and turned around, arms still being folded as he waited expectantly for the instructions, apparently not at all in the mood to deal with whatever else Eriol had on his mind. He just wanted to get the lesson done and over with so he wouldn't have to look at the sorcerer anymore.

The mage pointed firmly to a spot on the ground where he then sat, legs folded, fingers laced together. When Syaoran joined him, he changed the position of his hands so that he looked as though he were praying. "You do the same, Li-san. Now, I want you to clear you mind of all thought. Today we're going to open something that will enlighten you. I have already opened it, so it is quite easy for me to do so." He paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Once your mind is calm, collect your chi and imagine that you are standing before a great gate. The gate represents your mind, and your chi is what will open it. The door is hard, heavy and won't budge easily, but your chi will work against it to pry it open. Behind the door is a white light that pours through, filling you with wisdom." He paused once again. "Tell me, where is your gate? What surrounds it?"

Syaoran seemed to pause, not sure of how to answer. It was hard to clear his mind properly, and he was thankful for the chants that Wei taught him over the years. They helped him forget the contempt he felt for the man in front of him. "I see a dark forest labyrinth. There is a mirror at the entrance, in its reflection is the center where a gate stands encircled by ivy and thorns that I can't reach." he stated flatly.

"Good, you can see it. That's farther than a lot of people make it their first try. Now, Enter your labyrinth. Find a way to the center where the gate is. Use your chi to guide you there." Eriol had already opened his gate, knowing the way by heart. He felt Syaoran would make it through to the center just fine, given the years of discipline from his training in Hong Kong. At least they had worked well enough to dispel the anger the boy had been feeling, though Eriol knew _that_ wouldn't last forever.

Syaoran didn't reply as he focused on the task-at-hand, finding himself staring at the entrance, now sealed by a stone, leaving him stuck there with no other option than to continue forward.

"Focus…" Eriol's words echoed in his mind.

Syaoran nodded, mentally, feeling the path through the darkness of the maze. It wasn't until he felt his chi split into two separate paths that he stopped. He found himself staring from one path to the other, when something ran across the path of the one to the left. "Who's there?" Whatever it was ran across his vision again and seemed to hide underneath a particularly dark patch of the labyrinth. Syaoran slowly approached, reeling back from the aura when he realized that it was terror, not wrath that seemed to permeate from it. He reached into the darkness and gripped it, pulling it to where he could see.

"What the…" It was a smaller version of himself, curled into a ball, scared and shaking as he pulled away from his grip. Syaoran opened his mouth to speak, but the child ran ahead before he could say anything, only pausing briefly to stare back at him, there being what looked to be silvery threads in his hand. "Wait!" Syaoran ran after him, finding himself chasing the boy through the labyrinth.

"Damn it..." He cursed, stopping when he lost sight of his younger self and sighing. He took a few deep breaths and glanced around. "Great, I think I'm lost now." he muttered. He began focusing again, trying to recall his chi when he felt tugging on his hand and glanced down to see a little girl who resembled Sakura. "Sakura?" She merely smiled up at him and pulled him along down another path. Without words he followed numbly, unsure of whether or not he could trust these 'beings' despite, or perhaps because they were in his own mind.

After pulling the brunette along for what he gathered to be about ten minutes, though it was impossible to tell, she let go and disappeared into the forest, leaving him alone once again. "What's going on..." he murmured in bewilderment. Again he found himself lost despite all of it seeming vaguely familiar. It was then that another child appeared, crying. It took Syaoran a few seconds of peering into the darkness before he recognized the figure. "Eriol?" he whispered as he stared at the crying boy who was clutching at his heart would with one hand, the other covering his eyes. With caution Syaoran approached him and knelt down, hesitantly pulling his arm away to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"I-It hurts..." the little boy replied as he sniffled.

Syaoran tilted his head in worry. "What hurts?" when asked the child shook his head and turned away, running away. "Eriol wait!" he shouted and bolted, keeping on his heels until the child stopped. "What the..." there before the boy was the gate surrounded by the ivy and thorns. The children seemed to have led him there, knowing it was what he sought.

"...P-Please...Make it go away...make the pain go away Syaoran..." the boy wept, looking up at him with stormy eyes.

Syaoran felt a pain in his own chest as he gazed down, but it changed to shock when he noticed the vines had started to crawl up Eriol's legs and wrap around him. "N-No let him go!" he heard himself scream as he grabbed at the vines. The thorns cut into his hands, tearning gashes as blood spilled, though he felt nothing but panic as they swallowed the smaller Eriol. One of the vines wrapped around and pulled the child in and with a gut-wrenching sound a splash of red now painted the ground where Eriol once stood. Syaoran stared blankly at first in shock before clenching his fist and shaking, eyes clamping shut as he refused to break.

"What…what does that mean?" He grabbed at his hair. "What does it mean?"

Syaoran opened his eyes again, seeing the vines slither out to grab him around the legs and arms, the thorns once again resuming their damage. He steeled his determination, however, and glared at the vegetation, his jaw tightening. "This is _my_ mind! You will not defeat me here!" he shouted and with all the strength he had he ripped the plants from the ground, pulling them off himself. Though he felt the pain in his limbs and the trickle of blood, he stepped forward as the plants died away, leaving the gate accessible. "...I've reached the gate."

"Calm yourself. Whatever is blocking you is yourself and nothing else." Eriol's voice rang through the darkness, calm as ever.

Syaoran murmured to himself as he stared at the gate, his attention growing more focused, an aura having started to glow about him, seeping off his form to crawl up the doors of the gate. Only when the light completely covered the doors did he close his eyes and concentrate. There was difficulty as the door felt like it was being pushed from the other side, preventing him entry.

"Whatever is blocking you is yourself and nothing else…"

Syaoran felt his body tense in determination as the doors began to move a little. It was that determination that forced the aura between the seams of the doors and broke them free of the force holding the gate shut. When he got it open he became enveloped in a white light, its warm illumination caressing him gently.

There was a warmth and voice on the other side that completely enveloped him. He was confused, almost infantile in its presence. It was like being in near a god. He felt himself being held in a great hand. His brain was melting—all thoughts molding together in one. Staring into the blinding light, he closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand." The light faded as the real world came spinning back at an almost sickening pace.

Eriol reached out, holding the young man up, keeping him from feeling too woozy. "Well, done, Li-san. That's very good for your first try. Now memorize that path so you can open it easily from now on." He cursed as the closeness of their contact made his heart speed up.

_He should be damn grateful for you showing him that. Look at his contented face. Imagine, still hating someone who showed you the path to enlightenment._

He shook his head, physically this time, allowing one hand to fall while the other rested on Syaoran's shoulder. "Wake up, Li-san. We're done for today."

Syaoran's eyes snapped open and narrowed at the sound of Eriol's voice and the unwanted touch, but he said nothing of it and observed the other with a scrutinizing gleam in his deep amber orbs. Within those same eyes, however, there was the reflection of something else, a mixture of confusion and somewhere in there an understanding though very faint.

Eriol stared into the scrutinizing eyes, finally sighing in defeat and standing up. "I understand," he stated quietly before exiting the room, choosing solitude of blame. In the end, he would call himself weak, but, staring at the clock hand reassured him that he was at least moving forward at a good pace. If he kept this up, they could finish before the spot of uncertainty was reached. "That woman...maybe telling her this will get her to leave me alone for a bit." He whispered, smiling sadly as he ascended the stairs. "Or perhaps it will make things worse. Who knows?"

Syaoran, having stayed behind in the music room watched small dark spots appear on the carpet whilst the soft patter of teardrops was heard. He felt his lips thin in a concentrated expression. The tears were not of sadness for himself— the time for crying like a child was over—they were tears of pity and confusion. "Why...of all things...Those children...Eriol..." he trailed off before hauling himself off the floor, returning to his spot where he'd been reading and picked up where he left off. His thoughts, however, were muddled as he continued to dwell on why there were children crying for help in his mind. If the texts were correct, then everything had a purpose.

But what was his?

**Ending Note: ** Another toughie. Man, that sounds confusing, doesn't it? The whole…mind thing and the kids and all that. It will make sense in time.

As for what the hell the boys were doing…they were opening the first of eight gates of enlightenment, a common practice among Buddhists. Basically, you meditate until you unblock or open a gate, letting chi flow freely. In this story, the gates allow magic and understanding out, increasing the person's wisdom and power abilities. The way I've written it, is that magic is like math. Once you understand it, it becomes much easier to wield.

**Final notes:** Feel free to critique as always.

R&R my little hentai bunnies!

-Sniffits & Toy


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